Jeremy Nygaard

Small market teams get them.

I didn't. I thought there was a decent chance he went first. And a slim chance he'd drop out of the Top 5. I also didn't see Rocker and Horton going before the Twins.

With the eighth overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft, the Minnesota Twins selected shortstop Brooks Lee from Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo. View full video

The newest member of the Minnesota Twins is Brooks Lee, who the team just selected 8th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft. Brooks Lee is a shortstop from Cal Poly. Long-term, Lee's bat will play anywhere, profiling more as a pure hitter than a masher. He's grown to 6' 2 and over 200 pounds, so it's less likely he will stick at shortstop and eventually move to third base, where he easily has enough arm to survive. He doesn't fit the typical power profile as a third baseman, but could be a very good second baseman as well. Regardless, he checks so many of the boxes the Twins are looking for. Great bat-to-ball skills, could unlock more power and has defensive versatility. The draft slot associated with the 8th pick is $5,439,500. You can read Jamie Cameron's profile on Brooks Lee here. Baseball America's scouting report, ranked second overall: MLB.com's scouting report, where he ranked 5th overall: ESPN's scouting report, where he ranked 6th: View full article

Mets buying Green down and Braves buying Lesko are the two hottest rumors right now.

Fangraphs latest: 8. Minnesota Twins Pick: Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly Lee would probably be too good to pass on here, and if not, look for the Twins to cut with a college bat. Based on talk later in the round, I don’t think Jace Jung is one of those.

From MLB.com's latest: Callis: Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola (Fla.) JC (No. 8) Barring a dramatic Johnson slide, it's probably a college bat (Berry, Collier, Gross) for the Twins. They could be tempted by Prielipp or Oklahoma right-hander Cade Horton, both of whom have recovered completely from 2021 Tommy John surgeries. Mayo: Zach Neto, SS, Campbell (No. 17) Collier looks good in their model because of his age, but I'm still getting the feeling the Twins prefer a college bat as well.

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. This year’s draft will again feature just 20 rounds. Day 1, which begins 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 80 selections total. The Twins will make three picks tonight, with the first one coming 8th overall in the first round. They will also draft 48th overall in the second round and will make a selection in competitive balance round B at 68th overall. The draft will continue on Monday with round 3, beginning at 1 p.m. CT. We're excited to introduce 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! We'll update this thread with any important information. You're invited to fill the comments with anything draft-related that you find interesting as well! 1 (8) - Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly 21 years old. 6-2, 205. Switch-hitter. Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 45. Field: 50. Arm: 55 Slot money: $5,439,500 Profile / Draft Tracker 2 (48) - Connor Prielipp, LHP, Alabama 21 years old. 6-2, 210. Left-handed pitcher. Fastball: 60. Slider: 70. Change-up: 50. Control 55. Slot money: $1,621,900 Profile / Draft Tracker CB (78) - Tanner Schobel, SS, Virginia Tech 21 years old. 5-10, 170. Shortstop. Hit: 50. Power: 40. Speed: 50. Field: 50. Arm: 50 Slot money: $1,001,500 Profile / Draft Tracker Just a reminder, here is our final TwinsDaily/Brewer Fanatic Mock Draft. Other draft content Who's It Going to Be? - a quick primer on everything you need to know about the Twins picking at #8. 2022 MLB Draft Consensus Big Board, Part 1 (56-26 Overall) and Part 2 (1-25 Overall). 10-round Twins Mock Draft We also did profiles for 11 players who may hear their name called 8th overall. Jacob Berry Cam Collier Gavin Cross Elijah Green Cade Horton Termarr Johnson Brooks Lee Zach Neto Kevin Parada Connor Prielipp Jett Williams This article will be updated with any news or rumors throughout the day. If you read or hear anything, leave it in the comments. View full article

I think you're spot on. With the exception of Johnson, the rest of the top prep hitters are sons of former professional athletes who all made a good amount of money as players and hopefully surrounded themselves with smart negotiators and smart money people. They could have a little more leverage because, hopefully, it's not saying yes or no to "life-changing" money. (I'm assuming that if you've made $160m like Matt Holliday or $130m like Andruw Jones, that $6m isn't life-changing anymore.) So if you think you could do better, wait a year and try again. The other side of the argument is if they're rich already, who cares. But you don't see free agents taking less-than-they-can-get money to play somewhere they don't want to, so I'd *guess* these guys are in a better position to get to the teams of their choice.

The draft kicks off tomorrow evening and we have the Final TwinsDaily/Brewer Fanatic Mock Draft. Despite being on the clock for the last nine months, the Orioles haven’t given any clear indication about the direction in which they plan to go. When paths deviate before the draft even starts, mock drafts can be a mess in a hurry. But, like I said before, that doesn’t mean we sholdn’t try! Orioles - Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly - Druw Jones and Jackson Holliday could be the direction they go here. Termarr Johnson could be a good money-savings option. I keep coming back to Lee, who might not be the flashiest option, but can help the Orioles quicker than the prep options. Diamondbacks - Druw Jones, OF, Georgia HS - This seems to be the best prospect’s floor. While Jones is a near-lock to be under consideration for the first pick, it’s entirely possible that the Diamondbacks are willing to outspend the Orioles on Jones, taking him out of the running for the first pick. But if Jones goes first, then Holliday goes here. Rangers - Jackson Holliday, SS, Oklahoma HS - If the Rangers get this chance, they jump on it. If they don’t, they take Kevin Parada. One of Lee or Parada falls out of the top 3. Pirates - Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola JC - The Pirates would have a number of good options if the draft played out like this. Collier, Termarr Johnson and Kevin Parada all would be in play. Nationals - Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech - Back to my original projection with the Nationals, though Elijah Green and Termarr Johnson are two prep names to keep in mind here. Marlins - Jacob Berry, DH, LSU - In this scenario, the Marlins pass on both Elijah Green and Termarr Johnson. Cubs - Termarr Johnson, 2B, Georgia HS - The Cubs wait anxiously and get the guy they wanted all along. Twins - Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech - Take a haircut on an overdraft, try to find other money to overpay Elijah Green or stay true to their value board and take Cross. Those are the options the Twins face in this scenario. Royals - Justin Crawford, OF, Nevada HS - The Royals traded a pick and the slot money that goes with it to acquire a centerfielder earlier in the week, so what sense does it make to take an underslot centerfielder now? It doesn’t. But the draft doesn’t always make sense. Rockies - Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech - When Green drops to this point, it becomes about money. The Mets have it. The Rockies don’t. The Rockies take the top available college hitter. Mets - Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy - The drop stops here. The Mets will do what they planned to do last year and pay their first pick over slot. If Green does get to this point, there is decent reason to believe he would drop to fourteen, with the Mets locking up their savings first. Tigers - Connor Prielipp, RHP, Alabama - The Tigers might prefer a college bat - but they’ve been picked over - or Cade Horton, but Prielipp’s price tag could make him more appealing. Angels - Brandon Berriera, RHP, Florida HS - If shutting down for the season to keep healthy can lead to being the first prep arm off the board, then Berriera may have started a movement. Mets - Brock Porter, RHP, Michigan HS - Instead of cutting the deal here, the Mets will spend big again and figure out how to stay below the tax threshold later. Padres - Dylan Lesko, P, Georgia HS - I don’t know if it will go this way, but I’ve felt good about this since the first mock and I can’t bring myself to change it. Guardians - Cade Horton, RHP, Oklahoma - It’s almost unfair for the Guardians to get Horton, who was very impressive on his march through the NCAA Tournament. Phillies - Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga - The Phillies seem likely to go the pitching route and going the college route is a safer bet than dipping into the prep pool. Reds - Daniel Susac, C, Arizona - The Reds can get great value here and turn around and select a falling prep pitcher at 32. A’s - Zach Neto, SS, Campbell - Here’s another pairing that I can’t bring myself to change. Neto could certainly be off the board much sooner. Braves - Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State - Did the Braves make the trade with the Royals with a bigger plan in mind? We’ll know on Sunday if they land Dylan Lesko. Otherwise, taking a college pitcher makes sense. Mariners - Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt/Indy ball - I haven’t heard anything linking the two, but the Mariners are in on college pitching and the guys they might prefer are off the board. Cardinals - Cole Young, SS, Pennsylvania HS - The Cardinals have made a habit out of scooping up falling prospects. Blue Jays - Tucker Toman, 3B, South Carolina HS - There’s been buzz on Toman to Toronto for a while now. Red Sox - Jett Williams, SS, Texas HS - Like I said before, the Red Sox have had success with tiny infieders before, haven’t they? Yankees - Spencer Jones, OF, Vanderbilt - Another connection that is making the rounds. White Sox - Blake Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee - The White Sox try their luck on another college pitcher. Brewers - Drew Gilbert, OF, Tennessee - There are a number of college hitters still available and while Gilbert could go much earlier, would be a good get for the Brewers. Astros - Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison - The Astros, like the Brewers, have a lot of hitting prospects on the board. Rays - Robby Snelling, LHP, Nevada HS - The Rays know how to draft pitching and they’re getting a really good one late in the first round. Giants - Dylan Beavers, OF, Cal - The first round comes to a close by the Giants taking yet another college outfielder. View full article

The final mock of the draft season is here! We'll look at the selections as well as talk through some creative theories. Could the Mets and Braves throw their money around to get their preferred prospects to fall into their laps? View full video

That's been true when drafting outside of the Top 10. But definitely not true with this regime while drafting in the Top 10. They've definitely taken shots on upside (Lewis and Cavaco) with their high picks.

Then I'd suggest if Collier/Johnson are gone, you'd hope they go off the board to take Jett Williams/Justin Crawford and push a prep pitcher/overpay to 48.

We're 48 hours away. Players are done playing (though maybe not done working out) and teams will be solidifying their draft boards for the final time. The biggest question remains, "When the Twins are on the clock at #8, who's it going to be?" The Orioles aren't doing anyone any favors. They reportedly narrowed down their list to five guys, though no one is certain who those five guys are. But the teams behind them, the Diamondbacks and Rangers, appear to have clear preferences. Sorry, Druw Jones and Jackson Holliday are not going to be Twins. For all intents and purposes, they will be off the board with two of the first three choices. If they aren't, it's only because they've negotiated their way into another team's plans... and there's no reason to believe it would be the Twins. That leaves these names: Termarr Johnson is a future second baseman who is going to be a great hitter. I think it's easy to make a Luis-Arraez-with-power comparison and truly believe Johnson is 1a on the Twins "realistic" draft board. Johnson is believed to be in play at #1, with the realest threats being 4, 6 and 7. Cam Collier, my 1b to Johnson's 1a, is a different prospect in that he left high school early to be draft-eligible now instead of next year. His ceiling is unbelievable, but his floor is lower despite playing up a level as a high school junior. The teams most likely to poach Collier are the Pirates (4) or the Cubs (7). The ideal situation - at least as I see it - is that somehow Johnson and Collier both slip out of the Top 6. The Cubs would take one; the Twins will happily (and quickly) take the other. Is that possible? Sure, it's just not probable. Kevin Parada and Brooks Lee likely lead the next tier. I wouldn't put one above the other as I'd say it's almost impossible they are both on the board at #8. If Johnson and Collier are gone and either of these two are available, it should be relatively easy to pull the trigger on Parada or Lee. But after this point, all proverbial hell breaks loose. I know you're thinking, "wait, that's six guys. I thought it was about a Top 7?" The guy I haven't mentioned is Elijah Green, who, in my opinion is the first, biggest key to this draft. If he goes off the board before the Twins pick, now you've got your seven. But if he doesn't, I'm not sure it's a slam-dunk that the Twins take him. In fact, in reading the tea leaves, I think it's a coin flip at best. Then it's wide open. I think the Twins would be irresponsible to not consider Cade Horton or Connor Prielipp. And, if done creatively and with conviction they can get a preferred player at #48, would love to see Prielipp popped here. It's not often you can get arguably the best pitcher in the draft at a discount late in the Top 10. Those highest on Prielipp believe that. The upside is enormous. The floor is lower than it should be on a college pitcher, but given that he's a lefty with a plus fastball/slider combo already... it's certainly not as low as you'd think. The more likely scenario in a draft that is pitching-weak, would be to take a bat. And that's where Gavin Cross and Jacob Berry enter the conversation. Drafting either player wouldn't be overly exciting; drafting either player would be great for a system who has seen most of their top hitting prospects reach the major leagues. There is a group of others the Twins have been tied to at #8, but those would be drafted with the strong belief they're signing a below-slot deal, guys such as Jett Williams or Drew Gilbert. While they'd rank a little lower than the aforementioned names, you'd have to believe that the savings would help make the organization deeper, whether by getting one over-slot guy on the first day or spreading it around to multiple guys. So who is it going to be? The jury will be out for a couple more days, but hopefully this helps you make sense of all that is going on. View full article

Only picks that can be traded are competitive balance picks (so the Twins could trade pick 48). I'd love to see picks be allowed to be traded, it just is never agreed upon in the CBA. I'm guessing it's has a little to do with fear the free-spending teams would try to buy off the low-spending teams to set themselves up to get the best players quicker. It's a lot cheaper to give the Orioles $20, $30, $50 million and a few prospects to draft Druw Jones than it is to wait until he's a free agent and pay him $300 million.

Just yesterday, Doogie said they've seen plenty of Rocker and that it is most likely not going to happen.

From what I can find: Born in Norman. Grew up in Norman. Graduated from Norman High School. Probably dreamed of being a Sooner since birth (committed there to play baseball and football). I'd say it's probably the kid just really likes Norman, Oklahoma and the only thing that's going to take him away is a lot of cash.

Unless Parada drops, drafting a catcher at 8 would be a really bad idea. The exception being the Twins really believe Susac (or someone else) is the next big thing and they can sign him for millions less than slot (like comp round money). Any outcome drafting a catcher at 8 other than those would be a complete failure.