Jamie Cameron

Much more enjoyable than June so far! Offense was clicking tonight!

The Twins put on an offensive showcase on Tuesday night, touching up White Sox pitching for five home runs. The win secured the series and the Twins moved to 5-0 against the White Sox in 2022. Image courtesy of David Richard, USA Today Sports The Twins put on an offensive showcase on Tuesday night, touching up White Sox pitching for five home runs. The win secured the series and the Twins moved to 5-0 against the White Sox in 2022. Box Score Starting Pitcher: Josh Winder 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO (77 pitches, 49 strikes) Homeruns: Max Kepler (9), Jose Miranda (6), Jorge Polanco (10), Alex Kirilloff 2 (3) Top 3 WPA: Jorge Polanco .159, Jose Miranda .133, Josh Winder .108 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) On Tuesday evening, after an extra-inning win to open the series, the Twins resumed their three-game set in Chicago. Here’s how they lined up. Josh Winder got the start for the Twins after being added to the taxi squad on Monday. In the corresponding move, Chris Archer was added to the 15-day injured list with a hip strain. Archer’s IL stint means that each of the Twins seven primary 2022 starters have spent at least one stint on the IL, with Gray and Ober having spent two, and Chris Paddack being out for the season. Michael Kopech looked extremely shaky for the White Sox early. He walked three in the first inning, loading the bases, but recovered to get out of the jam unscathed. The Twins struck first in the third inning. Max Kepler hit a center-cut fastball over the right-field wall for his ninth home run of the year. The Twins added two more in the fourth inning. Alex Kirilloff laced a single before Jose Miranda crushed a hanging breaking ball 105 mph into the left-field bleachers for a two-run home run, continuing his impressive hitting. Notably, Miranda looked much more comfortable getting the start at third base, making several sharp plays in the first few innings. The White Sox got a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning. A Luis Robert single was followed by a Yoan Moncada double to cut the lead to 3-1. The Twins did not let up on Kopech however. In the sixth inning Jorge Polanco hit a two-run home run off Kopech (after a Kepler single), and Alex Kirilloff went back to back. In the fifth inning alone, Kopech gave up three consecutive batted balls of at least 104 mph. While his command was poor, the Twins did an excellent job taking full advantage, knocking him out of the game in the fifth inning. Winder ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth inning, surrendering a double and single to lead off the inning. Winder managed to rebound well from any trouble he ran into, limiting the damage to just one run and leaving the game after pitching five innings of two-run baseball. While he returned to the rotation through injury, it’s pretty clear, stuff-wise, that Winder needs to be with the MLB team permanently. Whether that is in the rotation or in the bullpen, he’s a contributor. Caleb Thielbar relieved Winder in the sixth inning and was dominant, striking out the side on just 11 pitches. In the bottom of the sixth, Alex Kirilloff took Reynaldo Lopez deep to left center field for his second home run of the game. Tyler Duffey ran into trouble in the bottom of the seventh. He gave up back-to-back hits to lead off the inning, before striking out Tim Anderson. Andrew Vaughn then lined into a double play on a batted ball with a .730 xBA. Trevor Megill entered in the eighth inning and got one out before the heavens opened. The game went into a 35 minute rain delay. When the teams returned, Jharel Cotton took over in relief for Minnesota and Kyle Garlick entered as a replacement for Max Kepler. The White Sox put Josh Harrison on the mound for the ninth inning. Remarkably, Jose Miranda grounded into a double play after back to back singles to keep the score locked at 8-2. Jharel Cotton returned to finish the game, leaving the bullpen in a good spot for the series finale, where the Twins will go for the sweep. The win moved Minnesota to 47-37 on the season. Cleveland lost to Detroit, so the Twins lead is 4.5 games over the Guardians, and 6.5 games over the White Sox. Bullpen Usage Chart FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Cotton 0 38 0 0 21 59 Duffey 0 0 0 13 18 31 Pagán 0 10 0 18 0 28 Jax 0 0 0 26 0 26 Thielbar 12 0 0 0 11 23 Duran 0 0 0 20 0 20 Moran 0 0 18 0 0 18 Megill 0 0 0 0 2 2 Next Up On Wednesday, the Twins will conclude their series against the White Sox. Joe Ryan goes for Minnesota against Lance Lynn for Chicago. First pitch is 1:10 CT. Postgame Interviews View full article

I think that's a legit option, whether it's Neto, Gilbert, or whoever. There are very good prep/college arms in play at 48 and someone is bound to fall. Maybe I'll write up some options for the 48 pick if the Twins chose to go under slot at 8 if folks are interested...

A couple more names the Twins have been linked with in recent days: Drew Gilbert (OF, Tennessee and a Stillwater, MN native), and Cade Horton, RHP out of Oklahoma

Another guy who had a really aggressive leg kick coming out? Royce Lewis. Agree, it doesn't matter. I think the Twins have created a pretty 'player friendly' development environment where they work with what a player has and don't try to change too many fundamentals. Agree that Cross is probably the favorite. One big challenge in parsing the information. When industry types source info from teams, it's usually with assumptions about who will be left on the board, that gives us little to go on in terms of what the Twins think about guys like Brooks Lee, Elijah Green etc. I'm pretty confident there will be at least one curveball in the top 7 picks.

Zach Neto, a two-way college shortstop, has been heavily linked with the Twins in recent weeks. Who is he? Why might the Twins select him? Why might they stay away? Image courtesy of Ron Schloerb - Cape Cod Times Zach Neto, a two-way college shortstop, has been heavily linked with the Twins in recent weeks. Who is he? Why might the Twins select him? Why might they stay away? Over the next week leading up to the draft, Jeremy and I will be writing more in-depth previews on ten players the Twins might take with the eighth overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. Today, we look at a late riser in the draft process, Zach Neto, a college shortstop from Campbell University. Who is He? Zach Neto is a 6’0, 185-pound shortstop out of Campbell University in North Carolina. Neto will be 21 on draft day, having just completed his redshirt sophomore season. He was named Big South Conference player of the year in both 2021 and 2022. This season, he was a two-way player (an infielder and a relief pitcher) but will be drafted as an infielder in July. He’s likely to be Campbell’s first-ever 1st round pick in the MLB Draft. Why the Twins Will Draft Him Neto has an extremely strong all-round game. Throughout his college career, he put up a .751 SLG in three seasons and slugged 12 home runs in 2022. He posted a 3.43 ERA as a relief pitcher in 2022, through 21 innings. Finally, he is a strong base runner, going 28-33 in stolen bases throughout his college career. He also allayed fears of over-performing against pitching in a weaker conference by playing well in the wood-bat, Cape Cod league. Neto pumped a 93 mph fastball as a relief pitcher. While he will be drafted as an infielder, its indicative that he has the arms needed to stick at shortstop. Neto shows strong all-round tools, all grading at 55 better, except fielding (50). While he hasn’t developed a ton of power, his bat speed and barrel control are good enough to think it will develop in time. Neto is an intriguing prospect for the Twins. They have been heavily linked to him in the pre-draft process by a number of industry sources. It’s possible the Twins draft Neto, sign him to an under-slot deal, and use the additional bonus pool money on an arm at pick 48 as there are a number of intriguing options in that range. Why the Twins Won't Draft Him This is the first time since 2017 that the Twins will pick in the top ten, and hopefully, the last for a while. Neto doesn’t have one outstanding tool. It’s possible the Twins would be balking at a much better bat (hit, power, or both) by selecting him. Neto has a strange approach at the plate with a big leg-kick, a pause in his swing, and does not have elite bat speed. That approach could be something that hinders him at the plate against professional pitching. If one of the top seven consensus players in the draft (Jones, Holliday, Johnson, Green, Parada, Lee, Collier) were to make it to eight, the Twins may have a hard time passing a potentially elite upside. Neto is plenty to be excited about, however. His upside is a defensively sound, starting shortstop who hits well with 15-20 home run power potential. What are your thoughts on the Twins drafting Zach Neto? Do you think he’s a good fit for Minnesota? Share your opinions in the comments. View full article

Definitely agree that the Twins don't have good organizational depth at Catcher. However, i think the Twins are going to fall between the two you mention. Parada will be gone I think in the 4-7 range, maybe the teens for Susac.

Agree with you mostly, as usual. I started with Prielipp only as Jeremy took him as the Twins pick in the prospects live draft. I think the Twins will likely pass on him. I think he'll go early to mid teens though. If you are picking in the range, think about how appealing that upside is, with slightly less risk of not being a top ten pick. Most industry stuff still points towards a bat.

Alabama starting pitcher Connor Prielipp is a name who has been linked with the Twins in recent weeks ahead of the MLB Draft. Who is he? Why might the Twins draft him? Why might they go in another direction? Image courtesy of Gary Cosby Jr - Tuscaloosa News Alabama starting pitcher Connor Prielipp is a name who has been linked with the Twins in recent weeks ahead of the MLB Draft. Who is he? Why might the Twins draft him? Why might they go in another direction? Over the next week leading up to July 17th, Jeremy and I will be writing more in-depth previews of ten players the Twins might take with the eighth overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. On Wednesday night, Jeremy selected for the Twins in the annual Prospects Live Mock Draft, taking Connor Prielipp, a left-handed starting pitcher from the University of Alabama, so let’s start there. Who is He? Connor Prielipp is a 6’2, 210 lb. left-handed starting pitcher out of Tomah, Wisconsin. Prielipp has been on the prospect map for a while. He was the Wisconsin player of the year in 2019 and was drafted by the Red Sox in the 39th round. He fell due to concerns about his signability with a commitment to the University of Alabama in hand. Why the Twins Will Draft Him Prielipp is the lone pitcher the Twins have been publicly connected with in the industry during the pre-draft process, most recently by MLB.com. Make no mistake, prior to his injury in 2021, he was being touted as a lock to be picked in the 5-10 range in the first round of the draft. Prielipp has a serious pedigree and a serious arsenal of pitches. In his freshman season at Alabama, he didn’t allow a run in 21 innings of work (striking out 35) before COVID-19 halted the season. Prielipp’s slider is one of the better pitches in the entire draft (it generated close to a 50% whiff rate in college), and as we know, it’s a slider league. The pitch approaches 90 mph and has a sharp, late break. His fastball sits in the low to mid-90s. After throwing a bullpen in front of evaluators in May and at the MLB Draft Combine, many have suggested Prielipp could continue to add velocity to his fastball, with fluid, repeatable mechanics. Prielipp also has a changeup that has not been significantly developed yet, but could be an average pitch. Add 55-grade control to this mix and you have a possible left-handed, front of the rotation starting pitcher. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel calls Prielipp ‘clearly the best college arm in the draft’. Why the Twins Won't Draft Him The Derek Falvey-led front office does not have a track record of drafting college arms early. Drafting prep pitcher Chase Petty in 2021 was an extreme bucking of a trend of taking high floor, corner outfield or corner infield bat first college players. What’s different in 2022, however, is that the Twins have their highest draft selection since they took Royce Lewis number one overall in 2017. There are two primary reasons the Twins might not take Prielipp. Firstly, the way the top of the draft board is stacked. The presumptive top seven players in the draft when looking at trends across evaluators are (in no particular order) Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday, Elijah Green, Temarr Johnson, Cam Collier, Brooks Lee and Kevin Parada. If any team throws a wrench in the works and an outstanding bat on that list falls to the Twins at eight, I think they would jump at the chance. Finally, Prielipp’s injury muddies his status significantly. As Keith Law points out ‘he could be a high-end starter, he could easily end up in the bullpen. He’s thrown so little in games that the range of his potential outcomes is huge’. What are your thoughts on the Twins drafting Connor Prielipp? Do you think he’s a good fit for Minnesota? Would you take a chance on a limited track record? Share your thoughts in the comments. View full article

I'm really leery of Lesko. I have a personal bias against prep righties, as they burn out so often. I'd feel a lot more comfortable with Prielipp (subject of tomorrow's first in-depth profile) than Rocker. At least with Prielipp, he's had surgery, he's thrown a few times in front of talent evaluators, and the stuff seems pretty consistent (less some command that you'd expect to take a minute to come back).

Agree with this in that I think the Twins are better at developing arms. There's at least two starters at pretty much every level (especially lower) who are really exciting. I think high high end pitching talent is thin, but there's a ton of talent between 20-40 that I think makes sense to target at 48, as you mention.

One scenario I think is a possibility: Save on Neto and sign him under slot at 8, then use that to secure a good arm at 48. There are a ton of pitchers in the 20-40 range on most big boards that are pretty exciting.

I've gotten more into the idea of taking a pitcher in the last week. Up until a few weeks ago, it didn't make a ton of sense based on big boards etc. Very fascinated to know how that first 7 picks goes.

Horton has been an amazing ascension in the last month or so. I ran out of space for the amount of intriguing arms there are in this draft, especially in the 20-40 range. I think the Twins can get a great arm at 48, if they so choose.

The Twins have the number eight pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. As draft coverage at Twins Daily ramps up, read up on four pitchers the Twins could target in the first round. Image courtesy of Steven Branscombe - USA Today Sports The Twins have the number eight pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. As draft coverage at Twins Daily ramps up, read up on four pitchers the Twins could target in the first round. Yesterday, we looked at hitters the Twins might target in the first round, today, we’ll look at pitchers. A few notes before we begin. I mostly focused these two ‘overview’ pieces on who the Twins might take a number eight overall (as opposed to focusing on later picks). Additionally, I’ll profile these players in alphabetical order, there's no preference here. I think it’s worth pointing out that the Twins are extremely likely to take a hitter. That’s not a front office ‘thing’, it’s simply how the talent stacks up at the top of the board. In baseball, you take the best player available, no matter what. There is a group of 8-12 hitters, most of whom I think will come off the board before we see pitchers start to be picked. Assumptions Unlike yesterday, there are no assumptions to make in this scenario. If the Twins go with a pitcher in the first round, I expect them all to be available when Minnesota selects at eight overall. That’s reflective of the strength of this year’s draft class. The top of the first round is flush with extremely impressive, borderline elite bats. The pitching talent at the top of the class is much more scattered. Dylan Lesko, RHP, Buford HS Lesko was the number one pitcher on the board and a consensus top ten pick until Tommy John surgery ended his season. In 2021, he managed 112 strikeouts in just 60 innings. Lesko offers a mid to high-90s fastball that he locates well. The biggest weapon in his arsenal is his changeup. The pitch has been described as one of the best prep changeups ever scouted. Lesko is committed to play for Vanderbilt, which, in combination with his injury, may pose an issue for a team picking him. Additionally, he falls into the riskiest draft sub-group, prep right-handed pitchers. Despite the uncertainty, Lesko has the highest upside of any pitcher in the draft and legitimate front-of-the-rotation potential. Brock Porter, RHP, Orchard Lake St. Marys Porter is a tall, slender prep prospect out of Michigan, a state that doesn't produce a ton of first-round talent. He has a 70-grade fastball that regularly hits 97 mph but he has also cranked up to 100 mph. Additionally, he carries a 70-grade changeup that has significant tumble. Porter also throws a curveball and a slider, both of which need more work but have a chance to be above-average pitches. Porter has work to do in refining his command, but his arsenal is so impressive, it has not been an issue to date. Porter is committed to Clemson, but could be the first pitcher taken in the first round in the wake of Lesko’s injury. Connor Prielipp, LHP, Alabama A Tomah, Wisconsin, native, Prielipp has been ranked in the 30-50 range on most big boards throughout the draft process. His inclusion here is a result of the Twins being connected to him in recent weeks. Prielipp’s progress was hindered by Tommy John surgery in 2021 but a strong showing at the MLB draft combine has vaulted him into first-round consideration. He offers a mid-90s, 60-grade fastball, and a devastating 70-grade slider that had a 50% whiff rate in college. Prielipp is seen as a little bit of a draft wild card due to a limited track record, but two pitches above a 60 grade give him elite stuff. Kumar Rocker, RHP, Independent Ball Of all the pitching prospects in the 2022 draft class, Kumar Rocker has the most pedigree. In three years at Vanderbilt, he put up a 2.89 ERA and a 33.2 K%. After being drafted 10th overall by the Mets in 2021, he never signed due to concerns around his medical records. Rocker elected to pitch in independent baseball this spring, showing stuff that is in the same realm as his peak with the Commodores. Rocker has a fastball that reaches the upper 90s, a 70 grade slider, a cutter and a decent changeup. Rocker is an unknown in the 2022 draft class as it’s unclear how his medicals will be viewed and perceived by teams. He has the stuff and the track record to be a front of the rotation starting pitcher. Honorable Mentions Mississippi State right-hander Landon Sims was in-line to be the top college arm taken in the draft before Tommy John surgery ended his season. He has an electric fastball (velocity ad movement) and a wipeout slider. Florida prep lefty Brandon Barriera is a smaller framed lefty who is expected to go at the end of the first round. Gonzaga right-hander Gabriel Hughes has a strong fastball slider mix and a ton of projectability, as he will only be 20 on draft day. Tennessee righty Blake Tidwell missed the first six weeks of the season to injury but can ramp his fastball up to 99mph, with a deceptive arm slot. Lastly, Minnesota native and Iowa Adam Mazur is ranked on big boards around where the Twins will pick for the second time. Mazur struck out 98 in 92 innings pitched this spring, increasing his fastball velocity to the 94-97 mph range to compliment a sharp 12-6 curveball and a smooth mechanical approach. If the Twins take a pitcher at number eight overall, who would you like to see them draft and why? View full article

Thanks for reading and commenting. I agree with all your major points. My one add is, someone pretty much always makes an unusual pick, Fingers crossed for that outcome.

I saw that too. I'd have a really difficult time passing on Green, His athleticism is unbelievable.

Appreciate you! Texas did not rub off on me enough I guess lol. I updated it!

I knew you would have thoughts! Agree with most of what you said. I do think it's important to differentiate Berry from a Sabato type, his hit and power tools both match (60 grade), not that case when Sabato came out. I think they're trending towards Neto also

Absolutely agree. He's been mocked in the 4-7 range a ton in the last few weeks. I think the Twins is the floor for him now, which is disappointing.