Jeremy Nygaard

I wouldn't worry at all. It's a dance that teams and agents do with each other because the team is trying to spread their money out while the agents are trying to bleed every dime from the team.

The Twins left the draft with (arguably) a new top prospect, a few other high-upside prep players, and a handful of hopeful college players. It won't go down as the most spectacular draft in the team's history - at least not yet - but it was certainly a solid draft. In fact, one national analyst has already called it the third-best draft of the year. Image courtesy of Paul Witwer-USA TODAY NETWORK (Kade Bragg is pictured warming up) Last week, the major-league draft concluded. The Minnesota Twins made 21 draft picks and will have until July 25th to get them signed. That's the first step. Then they can start their careers with the ultimate goal of reaching the big leagues. Of course, not all 21 Twins selections are going to turn into MLB players. But some will. If the Twins get a handful of big leaguers out of this draft, it will be considered a win. If they get an All-Star, even better. So let's break the picks into a few categories. Who were the best picks? Which players provide an upside, but come with risk? Are there players that will provide minor-league depth immediately with the chance to be more? And then there are players that may be hard to sign? What are the factors that play into their decisions? Learn more about the players and what category each fits into below. BEST PICKS: The expectation is that everyone in this group will sign. Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS, NC (1) When you can add a Top 25 (or better) global prospect, you do it. Is it the perfect fit? No, there are plenty of corner outfield types in the system. Is he the perfect prospect? No, you can't simply ignore the checkered past concerning his hips. But there's too much to like about Jenkins to get picky. He's got all-star potential in a system that lacks it. I can't wait to watch his professional career get started. Tanner Hall, RHP, Southern Mississippi (4) I'm putting Hall in this group, believing we'll hear that the Twins unlocked a few more MPHs on his fastball during instructional league this fall. He's a back-half/long-reliever right now with a plus changeup and below-average fastball, but the Twins have made hay adding velocity to starters, and when that happens, Hall will start raising eyebrows. RISK/REWARD PICKS: The players in this group could go either way. If they were picked in the top ten rounds, they are almost assuredly going to sign. Outside of that, it becomes a bigger question. In most cases, the player could bet on himself to be a higher draft pick next year (or later) or could take the money now and start developing as a pro. Charlee Soto, RHP, Reborn Christian Academy, FL (1C) Soto is the definition of high-risk/high-reward. You could be looking at the future #1 starter for the Twins.... or someone that fizzles out before reaching AA. Such is the life of drafting prep pitchers. Brandon Winokur , OF, Edison HS, CA (3) Winokur is getting some love as the Twins best pick, and the reason for that is the power profile. There is significant swing-and-miss, so the floor is very low. But if he can fix that - and that's a considerable risk - his ceiling is extremely high. A future outfield with him and Jenkins is a fun dream for later this decade. Ross Dunn, LHP, Arizona State (10) One of the picks I like more the more I dig. Yes, Dunn walked a ton of batter (6.1 BB/9), which won't cut it as a starter. But he's got an outstanding fastball and slider, yet his changeup might be his best pitch. There's a low floor - that's what you get with below-average command - but there's a decent chance that Dunn could be the best college pitcher to come out of this class. Paulshawn Pasqualotto, RHP, Cal (12) He returned in 2023 after missing 2022 with Tommy John surgery. As is typically the case, he didn't fully regain his command after surgery. Pasqualotto has a four-pitch mix, but so much hinges on throwing it over the plate. There are some big "ifs" for Pasqualotto, and a wide variance of outcomes comes with that. Kade Bragg, LHP, Angelo State (17) You're not going to have unreasonable expectations for a 17th-round pick. However, Bragg was a Texas A&M commit before an arm injury in high school. He ended up at Weatherford College, where he struck out nearly 12 batters per nine innings with a sub-3.00 ERA but also walked too many. Bragg transferred to Angelo State, where he threw 104 2/3 innings, struck out 124, and reduced his walk rate to 3.4 per nine. And while pitching wins and losses mean very little, he went 15-1 with four complete games and three shutouts. He was too good for that level, but the jump from Division 2 to professional baseball is enormous. It will be fun to see if the success translates. Hector Gomez, RHP, Hope International (18) An NAIA strike-thrower who struck out 93 while only walking 11 batters in 56 innings. Gomez had a three-game stretch where he pitched 18 innings and struck out 36, walked two, and gave up only one earned run. The two 15-strikeout games were both done on 90 pitches. It's a lottery ticket, and we know how they almost always end up. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. SAFE/DEPTH PICKS: These players should sign. Returning to school - if that's even an option - probably isn't going to help them make a bunch more money. Luke Keaschall, 2B, Arizona State (2) Announced as a second baseman, there may be more in the cards defensively for Keaschall. His bat could play in a corner, and he's athletic enough to play the outfield. He could be a future utility-type player who plays second base and left field and could play third base and center field in a pinch. Dylan Questad, RHP, Waterford HS, WI (5) In a category typically reserved for college players, Questad is getting a nod. The Twins will give him every opportunity to start, but signs point toward the bullpen. And if he's viewed through that lens right now, you're getting a middle-relief floor with the upside of getting a high-leverage stud. There is an upside, still, which makes this one of the more fun picks of the draft. Jay Harry, SS, Penn State (6) He looks like a Sean Johnson special: The grinder, tough to strike out, punches above his weight, not going to hit for power or steal bases, but he will give you solid plate appearances and play good defense. It makes sense that he came in well under slot. Nolan Santos, RHP, Bethune-Cookman (7) A senior-sign who will provide the Twins with money to get other guys done. He could be a solid fastball/slider relief candidate. Jace Stoffal, RHP, Oregon (8) Stoffal spent two years at Oregon and had enough success in his second year to get drafted on Day 2. Another example of a guy who came in under slot to help save money for other picks. Again, it's a likely bullpen profile. Jack Dougherty, RHP, Ole Miss (9) Stuff backed up when he transitioned into a starting role: another prime candidate with a reliever-floor but starter upside with professional development. Ty Langenberg, RHP, Iowa (11) Arguably that cleanest starter profile of the draftees with a fastball, slider, and changeup mix. He struck out enough and didn't walk too many, but his fastball has been too hittable. Xander Hamilton, RHP, Appalachian State (14) After two years of barely pitching at Virginia Tech, Hamilton transferred and had more opportunity and success. He struck out a ton of batters and pitched a gem against then-#8 Coastal Carolina. Minimal risk in drafting a senior in the 14th round, and anything he gives the organization beyond depth is icing on the cake. Spencer Bengard, RHP, Cal Baptist (15) He was better out of the bullpen in 2022 than as a starter in 2023 but he has a durable build that will provide the needed depth in the organization. Anthony Silvas, RHP, Riverside CC (16) He is similar to Hamilton in that he transferred for a better opportunity and, like all these late-round right-handed pitchers, will provide depth. WILL HE SIGN?: If I were in this group, I'd have more reason to go back to school than turn pro. Jeremy Lee, RHP, South Alabama (13) Lee has reportedly already agreed to a deal to join the Twins, which is a win for the organization. Lee was a Freshman All-American in 2021 before elbow issues required a shutdown and a redshirt year. He wasn't as good as a redshirt sophomore and could have returned to school to improve his draft stock and still have the leverage of returning for one more year. Sam Parker, 1B, Kennesaw Mountain HS, GA (19) Legit raw power and is committed to Chipola JC. New draft-and-follow rules will allow the Twins to keep in touch with Parker if they don't sign him before the deadline. They successfully signed Omari Daniel last year with the same strategy. Likely comes down to how much money is left in the bonus pool. Ashton Larson, OF, St. Thomas Aquinas, KS (20) If signed, Larson would fly to the "best pick" category, but the chances are slim. So why waste a pick on someone destined to go to LSU? It's not necessarily that the Twins have a chance to establish a relationship, and you never know. But you take a hard-to-sign guy here as a "just in case." The Twins will manipulate their draft pool to have money to sign guys like Jenkins, Soto, Winokur, and Questad (and possibly others). If something falls through with one of these players, there is still the "banked" money. It goes wasted if you don't have any other guys to sign. In this event, you call up Larson and say, "Hey, I know you plan to go to LSU, but we have a million and a half reasons (or whatever money is left) for you to turn pro." What do you think? Who were you favorites? Or least-favorites? View full article

Ten rounds down, ten rounds to go for the 2023 MLB Draft. It's been a life-changing event for 314 young men so far; there will be 300 more lives changed on Tuesday afternoon. Keep it tuned to TwinsDaily for live updates throughout the remainder of the draft. Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas (Image of Brandon Winokur during the Perfect Game All-American Classic.) Today's portion of the draft, which will conclude with rounds 11 through 20, will begin at 1 p.m. CT. Keep up to date with the Twins Draft Tracker. One update with the new CBA: players selected on Day 3 can sign for up to $150,000 without it impacting the team's bonus pool. Any dollars above that threshold will count toward the cap. For example, if a player today signs for $200k, it will count $50k toward the team's bonus pool. 11 (327) - Ty Langenberg, RHP, Iowa21 years old. 6-2, 190.Draft Tracker 12 (357) - Paulshawn Pawqualotto, RHP, California22 years old. 6-1, 200. Ranked #287 on the Consensus Big Board.Draft Tracker 13 (387) - Jeremy Lee, RHP, South Alabama21 years old. 5-11, 203.Draft Tracker 14 (417) - Xander Hamilton, RHP, Appalachian State22 years old. 6-3, 223.Draft Tracker 15 (447) - Spencer Bengard, RHP, California Baptist21 years old. 6-4, 220.Draft Tracker 16 (477) - Anthony Silvas, RHP, Riverside CC20 years old. 6-3, 220.Draft Tracker 17 (507) - Kade Bragg, LHP, Angelo State22 years old. 6-1, 190.Draft Tracker 18 (537) - Hector Garcia Jr., RHP, Hope International21 years old. 5-10, 190.Draft Tracker 19 (567) - Sam Parker, 1B, Kennesaw Mountain HS (GA)18 years old. 6-4, 215.Draft Tracker 20 (597) - Ashton Larson, OF, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (KS)18 years old. 6-1, 193.Draft Tracker If you've missed anything from the previous two days, you can find it below. There has been lots of draft content posted so far, which is all linked below. But any changes or additions to scouting reports and/or signing information will all be changed in the Tracker that is linked above. So please keep checking the player's profiles for new and added information. Twins Select Walker Jenkins #5 Overall Twins Select Charlee Soto at #34 in the 2023 MLB Draft Twins Select Luke Keaschall at #49 in the 2023 MLB Draft 2023 MLB Draft Day 2 Thread Twins Select Walker Jenkins, Charlee Soto, Luke Keaschall in Enjoyable Day 1 of the MLB Draft 1 (4) - Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS (NC)18 years old. 6-3, 210.Draft Article / Draft Tracker / Rapid Reaction Video 1C (34) - Charlee Soto, RHP, Reborn Christian Academy (FL)17 years old. 6-5, 200.Draft Article / Draft Tracker / Rapid Reaction Video 2 (49) - Luke Keaschall, 2B, Arizona State 20 years old. 6-1, 190. Draft Article / Draft Tracker / Get To Know TD Interview 3 (82) - Brandon Winokur, OF, Edison HS (CA)18 years old. 6-5, 210.Draft Tracker 4 (114) - Tanner Hall, RHP, Southern Mississippi21 years old. 6-1, 185.Draft Tracker 5 (150) - Dylan Questad, RHP, Waterford HS (WI)18 years old. 6-1, 200.Draft Tracker 6 (177) - Jay Harry, SS, Penn State20 years old. 6-0, 190.Draft Tracker 7 (207) - Nolan Santos, RHP, Bethune-Cookman22 years old. 6-1, 205.Draft Tracker 8 (237) - Jace Stoffal, RHP, Oregon20 years old. 6-3, 218.Draft Tracker 9 (267) - Jack Dougherty, RHP, Ole Miss21 years old. 6-4, 215.Draft Tracker 10 (297) - Ross Dunn, LHP, Arizona State21 years old. 6-5, 210.Draft Tracker What have been your favorite or least-favorite selections so far? What should the focus be on on the final day of the draft? View full article

A quick review of the Twins first three picks from day one of the 2023 MLB Draft. The Twins have eight more picks on Monday. View full video

The Twins added three players on Sunday night and will add eight more on Monday. This article will be updated with each Twins pick, so check back often. Image courtesy of Michael Cuneo/STARNEWS-USA TODAY NETWORK Today's portion of the draft, which will include rounds 3 through 10, will begin at 1 p.m. CT. Keep up to date with the Twins Draft Tracker. A quick recap from yesterday: 1 (4) - Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS (NC)18 years old. 6-3, 210.Draft Article / Draft Tracker / Rapid Reaction Video 1C (34) - Charlee Soto, RHP, Reborn Christian Academy (FL)17 years old. 6-5, 200.Draft Article / Draft Tracker / Rapid Reaction Video 2 (49) - Luke Keaschall, 2B, Arizona State20 years old. 6-1, 190.Draft Article / Draft Tracker 3 (82) - Brandon Winokur, OF, Edison HS (CA)18 years old. 6-5, 210.Draft Tracker Every Draft class has its fair share of high school outfielders who fall in the five-tool potential bucket. Winokur, a product of an Edison High School (Huntington Beach, Calif.) program that has produced big leaguers like Kyle Higashioka and Tim Lopes, has the chance to be one of the best in the class of 2023 after showcasing his tools at summer showcase events like the PDP League, the Area Code Games and the Perfect Game All-American Classic. Winokur certainly looks the part at 6-foot-5 and has the chance to have multiple plus tools in the future. The right-handed hitter will have easily plus raw power and has shown he can tap into it at times against good competition. For a young player with such long levers, he's also shown he can be pretty short to the ball, with a more compact swing than you'd expect. He's a plus runner with a strong arm. While his ability to use his raw tools consistently in games is one question, another is where he plays defensively long-term. The UCLA recruit plays a lot of shortstop for his high school team, but most see a better fit in an outfield corner, where his power and speed could profile very well. - MLB.com Draft slot: $859,700 4 (114) - Tanner Hall, RHP, Southern Mississippi21 years old. 6-1, 185.Draft Tracker Hall has been one of the most consistent starting pitchers in college baseball in the last two seasons. He doesn't have dominating stuff, but he uses what he has incredibly well. A fastball that sits 89-92 mph but can grab 95 mph is back up by a plus changeup, maybe even better. He hides it well and it has been incredibly effective for him with good tumble. Hall also has an at least average slider and plus control. In 2022, he walked just 14 batters in 109 innings of work. In 2023, the production is still there. Through the end of the season, Hall pitched 112.1 innings, with a 2.48 ERA, 124 strikeouts and 33 walks. At worst, Hall is a good long-man, could be more if he can add to the fastball. - JD Cameron Draft slot: $586,000 5 (150) - Dylan Questad, RHP, Waterford HS (WI)18 years old. 6-1, 200.Draft Tracker Questad turned in a series of strong performances on the showcase circuit last summer, including three perfect innings while sitting in the mid-90s with his fastball at the Area Code Games in August. His stuff wasn't as sharp during his Wisconsin high school senior season, though he did earn Gatorade's state player of the year award. He still has a chance to become the first Badger State high school pitcher taken in the top five rounds since 2006 third-rounder Tony Butler. Questad leans heavily on his fastball, which sat at 92-94 mph and peaked at 97 last summer before dropping a tick or two this spring, albeit still with plenty of run and downhill plane coming out of his high arm slot. He gets good depth on his upper-70s curveball and low-80s slider, though he's still learning to land them for strikes. He can impart some nasty late fade on his low-80s changeup but struggles to control it as well. Questad is strong and athletic, but he may be physically maxed out at 6 feet and 200 pounds. His arm works well but to succeed as a starter at higher levels, he'll need to improve the quality of his secondary pitches and his ability to locate them where he wants. He has had more of a reliever look in 2023, which could land him in college as part of Arkansas' top-rated recruiting class. - MLB.com Draft slot: $557,900 6 (177) - Jay Harry, SS, Penn State20 years old. 6-0, 190.Draft Tracker Harry is one of the more difficult hitters in the country to strike out. He hit .299/.376/.463 in 229 plate appearances with 20 walks and just 20 strikeouts for a 9% strikeout rate this spring. Harry also doesn’t turn 21 until just after the draft, putting him on the younger side for a college junior. A hard-nosed player who generally eschews batting gloves, Harry has minimal movement to get his swing started. He lifts his front foot up, stays relatively still with little rhythm in his swing before punching his hands at the ball. The result is one of the lower swing-and-miss rates in college baseball, trusting his hands to produce a contact-oriented swing with the ability to serve breaking balls into play. Harry can occasionally turn on a ball for power, but it’s a contact-oriented, spray approach with well below-average power that will be tested against better pitching. He has a solid sense of the strike zone, though he’s not an especially patient hitter for a hitter whose offensive value will have to come from his ability to get on base. Harry played shortstop at Penn State, but his range and arm strength will likely shift him elsewhere in pro ball, possibly to second base. - Baseball America Draft slot: $322,900 7 (207) - Nolan Santos, RHP, Bethune-Cookman22 years old. 6-1, 205.Draft Tracker Santos isn't a Top 500 draft prospect, which likely means he's going to sign for $10-25K to help the Twins sign their other picks. Low 90's fastball. Draft slot: $252,500 8 (237) - Jace Stoffal, RHP, Oregon20 years old. 6-3, 218.Draft Tracker Draft slot: $202,200 9 (267) - Jack Dougherty, RHP, Ole Miss21 years old. 6-4, 215.Draft Tracker Miscast as a starter, but has a chance to be a quick-moving reliever with a mid-90s fastball. Draft slot: $179,000 10 (297) - Ross Dunn, LHP, Arizona State21 years old. 6-5, 210.Draft Tracker Dunn began his college career at Florida State, pitching in relief sparingly as a freshman in 2021. He ended up spending much of 2022 as part of an all-lefty weekend rotation with the Seminoles, joining 2022 draftees Parker Messick and Bryce Hubbart. Dunn struck out 14.4 per nine over 48 innings of work before pitching well for the U.S. Collegiate National Team. The Utah native also entered the transfer portal and moved back west to be a part of Arizona State's rotation in 2023, where he's continued to miss bats but have mixed results overall. While none of Dunn's individual offerings jump off the page, he has a very strong three-pitch mix and knows what to do with it. His fastball sits in the 90-93 mph range and it's a sneaky fastball that hitters don't see thanks to some deception in his delivery. His low-80s slider continues to miss bats at a very high rate, according to Synergy, and he's used his mid-80s changeup very effectively as well. The one thing that could hold Dunn back in terms of his Draft stock is his command, especially with his fastball. While he misses a ton of bats, he's also given up too many free passes, with his walk rate spiking this year. Even with that, a college lefty with a legitimate three-pitch mix still has the chance to land in the first five rounds. - MLB.com Draft slot: $168,100 In the meantime, what did you think about what happened Sunday night? What are you looking forward to on Monday? View full article

The Twins added a prep pitching prospect with the 34th overall pick in the 2023 draft. View full video

The Twins draft Walker Jenkins with their first pick of the 2023 MLB Draft. View full video

With the 5th pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the Twins select Walker Jenkins, an outfielder from South Brunswick, North Carolina. Image courtesy of Thiéres Rabelo There was lots of uncertainty about the directions that the Twins would go with the fifth overall pick, with the top three college players and Max Clark off the board. There were rumors that the Twins would go under-slot and try to float some players into the range of their next picks. But when it came time, the Twins took the #4 player on the Consensus Big Board. I was less of a believer as the draft got closer, I'm not going to lie about that. Jenkins always seemed like the Twins type. The pretty swing that's going to lead to both hit and power. The 80-grade make-up the team always raved about with Royce Lewis. The idea that the Twins were so off on Jenkins led me to believe they were maybe just really worried about his hip. But it all turned out to be a false narrative. The Twins got the guy that seems to be a perfect fit. Sure, they missed on the last prep hitter they drafted so high (Keoni Cavaco). Yeah, they don't have a great need for left-handed hitting outfielders. The Twins, though, lack high-end prospects. Brooks Lee is a Top 25 prospect in all of baseball, but I think it's fair to believe we could have expected more. Royce Lewis and Edouard Julien have graduated. Emmanuel Rodriguez was a Top 50 prospect to start the season but has struck out in over 40% of his at-bats and his .764 OPS is only saved because he has drawn 50 walks. Walker Jenkins could be the new #1 prospect. Is definitely not lower than #2 and has significant upside. So what should we expect from Walker Jenkins? I think 2019 Max Kepler or present-day Kyle Tucker. 30 home runs is achievable with a league-average OBP. The ability to steal a dozen bases and be mobile enough with a really good arm in right-field to be considered an above-average defender. Walker Jenkins is reportedly being advised by super-agent Scott Boras. This would have been a cringe-worthy sentence not too long ago, but the organization and Boras have done a lot of business lately. Draft slot is $7,139,700. Jenkins may get every penny of that (or more). I like to believe that the Twins could have convinced Boras that not going #5 meant maybe going #7 (since the A's are a disaster) and could shave some thousands off the slot. But, at the end of the day, Jenkins is going to sign and should hopefully get to Cedar Rapids by the end of the summer and join them for their playoff run. JD Cameron says this about Jenkins, who ranked fourth on the Consensus Big Board: What are your thoughts on the Twins selection of outfielder Walker Jenkins with the fifth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft? View full article

This is what it all comes down to for me. Walker Jenkins is exactly the type of player the Twins seem to want. And the fact they seemingly just *don't* doesn't make sense. Our resident PT says the injury doesn't seem like something he'd be overly worried about, but having a surgery as a freshman that resulted in him joining swimming because he couldn't put any pressure on his legs seems... major...? I have no proof or concrete evidence, but if the Twins have the opportunity to and don't draft Jenkins (with the other four gone), I have to think it's cause he's medically red-flagged. Because otherwise it just doesn't add up.

If they take the guy at 5 they could have taken at 13 and spread the extra money to their next two, it'll be like they used the lottery to trade up from 34 and 49 to 20 and 30.

I certainly don't hate this idea at all. Lowder is a very good prospect in his own right, just overshadowed by Skenes. Similar to Langford and Crews. The two players who are getting overlooked more than anyone right now are Langford and Lowder. In five years, everyone might wonder how that happened.

You're right, it can be debated. I'm just thinking - from a national perspective - BA has Lee at #27 and MLB has him at #19. I called him Top 50 and am probably selling him short. Do all five immediately become Top 20 global prospects? I think that's a little rich, but I could be wrong. There was a lot of debate about Lee or Lewis and if it's Clark or Jenkins, it will probably be that same debate. Crews, Skenes or Langford are definitely ahead. Everyone else is behind. At least in my opinion.

Draft Day is finally upon us! You've found the right place to follow the day's events, and you're all invited to be a part of the conversation. Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo This year’s draft will again feature just 20 rounds. Day 1, which begins tonight at 6 p.m. CT and can be viewed on ESPN and MLB Network, will include the first and second rounds as well as both competitive balance rounds and all compensation rounds. There will be 70 selections total. The Twins will make three picks tonight, with the first one coming fifth overall in the first round. They will also draft 34th overall in the competitive balance round A and 49th overall in the second round. The draft will continue on Monday with Round 3, beginning at 1 p.m. CT. We're excited to bring back the Twins Draft Tracker which will be kept up-to-date not only during the draft but through the entire signing period. So keep coming back for updates! There will be a lot going on during the draft both on and off this website. We will try to make updates to the story (and add links) as things happen, so keep refreshing! Otherwise, there will be plenty of activity in the comments. This is the place to be tonight during the draft! In the meantime, you can catch up on all of our Twins-related draft content below: Articles and ProfilesPaul SkenesWalker JenkinsMax ClarkNoble MeyerRhett LowderJacob GonzalezJacob WilsonWyatt LangfordKyle TeelChase Dollander Twins 10-round Mock Draft Nygaard Mock Draft v.3 Final Consensus Big Board Update (Print it out, cross players off as they are drafted. You won't find a better resource anywhere on the web.) Consensus Big Board Profiles: 26-50 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 1-25 View full article

Prospect rankings are greatly debated. There's no perfect science in doing them and even the best talent evaluators miss quite often. But we're going to do an exercise today where we combine the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects list and Jamie Cameron's Consensus Big Board and try to decide where the potential draftees would fit into the organizational rankings. Image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports A couple notes: Neither the Twins Daily Rankings or the Big Board are my own lists, so I may move players up or down a little bit. But they help form the backbone of these thoughts. Current #1 Prospect: Brooks Lee The only draft prospects I would put above Lee are Dylan Crews, Paul Skenes and Wyatt Langford. I don't think there is much debate on that, as a matter of fact. Current #2 Prospect: Emmanuel Rodriguez (Royce Lewis has graduated from prospect status, the Twins Daily list just doesn't reflect that. It will be updated following the draft.) Rodriguez has not had a great year, but is still likely the Twins #2 prospect and, from a national perspective, is probably a borderline Top 100 prospect at this point. Just based on Rodriguez being around prospect #100 overall, you can immediately add a bunch of prospects ahead of him. The top two high schoolers (Walker Jenkins and Max Clark) for sure. Then the group of Kyle Teel, Tommy Troy, Chase Dollander, Arjun Nimmala, Noble Meyer and Rhett Lowder would all likely be Top 100-type guys. Personally, I'm lower on Troy than the Big Board and higher on the Meyer and Lowder. But that's about 10 (maybe 13-15) or so guys that would immediately jump into the Top 100 conversation and rank above or similarly to Rodriguez. Current #3 and #4 Prospects: Connor Prielipp and Marco Raya (Edouard Julien has graduated from prospect status, the Twins Daily list just doesn't reflect that. It will be updated following the draft.) This is where things get really interesting. Prielipp is high-upside, but has been dealing with arm issues for most of the year. Raya was recently promoted to Double-A, but the conversation would probably be more about Top 200-ish prospects when talking about Raya. I'd have a hard time not putting any first-round talent above both Prielipp and Raya at this point. Raya hasn't hurt himself, but Prielipp has fallen for simply not being available. For me, that cut-off point on the Big Board happens no earlier than Brock Wilken (#22) and there could be an argument for guys into the mid-30s. Current #5-10 Prospects: Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa, Matt Wallner, Yasser Mercedes, Austin Martin. There's a drop off here. Certainly Matt Wallner isn't ranked accurately at this time. But would there be any Day 1 picks that most wouldn't confidently throw into this list? It's a mix of decent-floor, high-ceiling, proximity to the bigs and five promotions away. I look at names like Mac Horvath (#74), Tre' Morgan (#86), Cole Carrigg (#96) and have a hard time not thinking that a Top 100 Draft Prospect doesn't immediately jump into the back half of the Twins Top 10. Following those guidelines and using my 10-round Twins-only mock draft, my post-draft list would look something like this: 1) Brooks Lee (Top 50 global prospect) 2) Emmanuel Rodriguez (borderline Top 100) (If the Twins could float Noble Meyer to #34, I'd place him here, above Rodriguez and Gonzalez.) 3) Jacob Gonzalez (projected 5th pick; borderline Top 100) 4) Matt Wallner 5) Jack Hurley (projected 34th pick) 6) Marco Raya 7) Thomas White (projected 49th pick) 8) Connor Prielipp 9) Tanner Schobel 10) Sean Sullivan (projected 82nd pick) 11) David Festa 12) Zion Rose (projected 114th pick) I don't think the first five picks jumping into a team's Top 12 prospects should be the norm and it's actually kind of concerning, but the combination of graduations, poor performance and trades that sent out players that would rank high on this list (Christian Encarnacion-Strand is a borderline Top 100 prospect, Chase Petty would rank above Raya and Cade Povich would fit into that Prielipp/Sullivan/Festa group depending on how you value upside/proximity) paint a more understanding picture. Comparatively to 2022, the Twins Top 3 picks (Lee, Prielipp and Schobel) are all Top 10 prospects on the above list. They were all drafted in the Top 75 and the Twins lost a third round pick for signing Carlos Correa. This is all subjective and your rankings may look very different. Of course, it's impossible to put a list together without knowing who is actually on the list. But it's fair to think the fifth overall pick should be the team's best or second-best prospect. The other two Day 1 picks fit into the #3-7 range and the first pick on Day Two is a top 10 prospect. What do you think? View full article

This definitely wouldn't be how I do things, starting from the top. I'd draft Skenes. Then I'd draft Crews. Then I'd draft Langford. Then I'd draft Jenkins. Then I'd draft Clark. Then I'd probably draft Lowder, Teel, Meyer and Nimmala (in that order). I'm also high on Shaw and Bradfield. But I don't have access to bonus demands or medical histories. Both of which would change my order. Oh, Crews wants $10m? That would change things. Clark willing to sign for $5m? That would also change things. Something showed up on an MRI? That could change things. It's entirely possible that Jenkins isn't on the Twins board if they pass on him. He seems like a perfect fit from my perspective. But if he's a medical red flag, it opens up a world of possibilities. Why is it always Jacob Gonzalez? I have no idea. Would people feel differently if the Twins drafted Meyer then Gonzalez instead of Gonzalez then Meyer? People hate the idea of Gonzalez (and I'm not thrilled by it). But I really do think any assessment has to wait until, at a minimum, the end of Sunday night and possibly longer. And this reiterates what Dman said earlier: Maybe Gonzalez is willing to sign with the Twins for a huge savings, like $4.5 million. They can tell Meyer's reps that they have $5m waiting for him at #4 or $4.2m waiting for him at #49. And they still have a third pick that they can take someone like Dillon Head. That's #10, 14 and 30 on the Consensus Big Board. And that's a haul.

My final attempt at how the first 30 picks will play out. There’s been a lot out there. How much is completely bogus? How much is credible? Who knows!? This is how I think the first round will play out. Not how I would pick for each team. 1.) Pirates – Max Clark, OF, Indiana prep - I wouldn’t take Clark one. I wouldn’t take him second or third either. And maybe not fourth. But I’m not faced with screwing up having a ton of money in a loaded draft. Clark - in a normal year - is a legitimate contender to go 1-1. This year, there are three college players who are simply better options, but the Pirates can’t mess this up and decide to take a really good prospect while also allowing them to take more really good prospects later. Previous: Dylan Crews 2.) Nationals – Paul Skenes , RHP, LSU - Having to choose between Skenes and Dylan Crews is like the Nationals having to decide between Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg. (They paid Strasburg, not Harper.) Either pick would be a great pick, so the Nationals are going to be winners of this draft either way. Previous: no change 3.) Tigers – Wyatt Langford , OF, Florida - It would be easy to switch this to Dylan Crews, but I think the Tigers have been focused on Langford for a while now and won’t have to blow up their pool to get him. Previous: Wyatt Langford 4.) Rangers - Dylan Crews , OF, LSU - Yes, the Rangers have a pool of less than $10 million. Yes, there’s a rumor out there that Boras wants $10 million for Crews. But, yes, Scott Boras also brokered huge deals between the Rangers and Corey Seager and Marcus Semien recently and may be doing work behind the scenes to get Crews to the biggest market possible while also convincing the Rangers to spend big on his client. The $10 million rumor may just be a tactical move to get exactly what Scott Boras wants. Previous: Dylan Crews 5.) Twins – Jacob Gonzalez , SS, Mississippi - I’m believing the smoke here. (Or at least convincing myself to believe the smoke to prepare myself for the disappointment.) I usually give myself more time in between my 10-round Twins mock and my final mock than 24. But I’m going to stick with it. I also believe that the Twins will use their savings to get Noble Meyer to fall to their next pick. Previous: Kyle Teel 6.) A’s – Brayden Taylor , 3B, TCU - It’s too early to take Taylor, Matt Shaw or Jacob Wilson in my opinion, but the A’s make bad decisions. Previous: Jacob Wilson 7.) Reds – Walker Jenkins, OF, North Carolina prep - Cincinnati will end Jenkins' slide like they ended Cam Collier’s last year. Previous: Rhett Lowder 8.) Royals - Kyle Teel , C, Virginia - This seems to be a common fit. Salvador Perez can’t play forever - though he may try - and Teel will be a solid regular for many years. Previous: Thomas White 9.) Rockies - Rhett Lowder , RHP, Wake Forest - I haven’t changed this description for any mock: The best chance for the Rockies to add pitching is through the draft. Their board should go Skenes, Lowder, Waldrep, Dollander, Floyd… and they take the first one available. Previous: Hurston Waldrep 10.) Marlins – Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt - Bradfield is going to have a team that believes in his bat and loves his speed and defense so much he will go higher than we see him in most mock drafts. Stealing bases is cool again. Previous: Max Clark 11.) Angels – Nolan Schanuel , 1B, Florida Atlantic - When the biggest names in the media start to agree on every part of a team’s strategy, there’s got to be a reason for it. Schanuel has one of the most impactful bats in the draft class. Previous: Jacob Gonzalez 12.) Diamondbacks – Chase Dollander , RHP, Tennessee - Who knows where Dollander ends up. He could be the second pitcher off the board. He could be the sixth or seventh if prep pitchers start to go. His stuff is off the charts… he just couldn’t put it all together this season. Previous: no change 13.) Cubs – Arjun Nimmala, SS, Florida prep - This is a fit that continues to make too much sense for me. I think Nimmala could end up being the steal of the draft. Previous: no change 14.) Red Sox – Matt Shaw , SS, Maryland - There’s going to be a run on infielders in the middle of the first round and it’s going to be heavy with college guys. Previous: no change 15.) White Sox – Hurston Waldrep , RHP, Florida - The White Sox are another team that I feel like needs to shoot their shot on pitchers. Waldrep dropping to the middle of the first round would be a revelation for them. Previous: Tommy Troy 16.) Giants – Tommy Troy , SS, Stanford - Seems like a good fit to go relatively local and in a spot that makes a lot of sense. Previous: Enrique Bradfield Jr 17.) Orioles – Jacob Wilson , SS, Grand Canyon - This is the Orioles favorite demographic in the first round and Wilson should go in this range. Previous: Colin Houck 18.) Brewers - Chase Davis, OF, Arizona - The Brewers have gone the college route a lot recently and Davis is probably underappreciated for the type of year he had and the data that he put up. Previous: Brayden Taylor 19.) Rays – Aidan Miller, 3B, Florida prep - The opportunistic Rays have a prospect who was injured and missed the majority of his senior season fall into their laps. Previous: Noble Meyer 20.) Blue Jays – Yohandy Morales , 3B, Miami. Previous: Chase Davis 21.) Cardinals – Ty Floyd , RHP, LSU. Previous: Aidan Miller 22.) Mariners – Brock Wilken , 3B, Wake Forest Previous: Nolan Schanuel 23.) Guardians – Colt Emerson, SS, Ohio prep Previous: no change 24.) Braves – Colin Houck, SS, Georgia prep Previous: Dillon Head 25.) Padres - Bryce Eldridge, 1B/RHP, Virginia prep Previous: no change 26.) Yankees – Sammy Stafura, SS, New York prep Previous: no change 27.) Phillies – Charlee Soto, RHP, Florida prep Previous: no change 28.) Astros - Jack Hurley , OF, Virginia Tech Previous: no change 29.) Mariners – Blake Mitchell, C, Texas prep Previous: no change 30.) Mariners – Thomas White, LHP, Massachusetts prep Previous: Kevin McGonigle Articles and ProfilesPaul SkenesWalker JenkinsMax ClarkNoble MeyerRhett LowderJacob GonzalezJacob WilsonWyatt LangfordKyle TeelChase Dollander Twins 10-round Mock Draft Nygaard Mock Draft v.3 Final Consensus Big Board Update (Print it out, cross players off as they are drafted. You won't find a better resource anywhere on the web.) Consensus Big Board Profiles: 26-50 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 1-25 View full article