Hrbowski

Trevor Plopout.

http://image.nj.com/home/njo-media/width960/img/njcom_photos/photo/2016/04/05/-d159a8207ee47d08.JPG Image of Jay Groome courtesy of Andrew Mills #1 Nick Senzel - 3b - University of Tennessee #2 Jay Groome - lhp - New Jersey High School #3 Kyle Lewis - OF - Mercer #4 Braxton Garrett - lhp - Alabama High School #5 Mickey Moniak - CF - California High School #6 Delvin Perez - SS - Puerto Rico #7 Riley Pint - rhp - Kansas High School #8 AJ Puk - lhp - University of Florida #9 Corey Ray - OF - Louisville #10 Alex Kirilloff - OF - Pennsylvania High School #11 Blake Rutherford - OF - California High School #12 Forrest Whitley - rhp - Texas High School #13 Dakota Hudson - rhp - Mississipi State #14 Nolan Jones - IF - Pennsylvania High School #15 Zack Burdi - rhp - Louisville #16 Zack Collins - 1b - Miami #17 Matt Manning - rhp - California High School #18 Ian Anderson - rhp - New York High School #19 Joey Wentz - lhp - Kansas High School #20 Will Craig - 3b - Wake Forest #21 Connor Jones - rhp - University of Virginia #22 Jordan Sheffield - rhp - Vanderbilt #23 Eric Lauer - lhp - Kent State #24 Josh Lowe - 3b - Georgia High School #25 TJ Zeuch - rhp - Pittsburgh

I just don't understand the love of drafting hitters. Colon, Ackely, Alonso....

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lou/sports/m-basebl/auto_bsilarge/10896374.jpeg Zack Burdi is a 6'3", 210 lb. pitcher for the University of Louisville who was undrafted out of high school. Burdi's fastball usually sits in the 95-98 miles per hour range, but he can reach triple digits at times, and his slider and changeup are both very good pitches. The Cardinals' closer is being considered both as a reliever and a starter by teams this spring, and if a team believes he can start he is a likely first round pick. Zack puts a maximum effort into his delivery, and that could scare away some teams who might take him in the first round, but his arm action is relatively clean. If Burdi is a reliever he is a quick to the big leagues future closer, and this gives him the rare combination of both a high ceiling and floor. Burdi is one of the fastest rising college pitchers in this year's draft, and if he continues to rise he could be a top twenty pick on June 6th. The Twins drafted Burdi's brother Nick in the second round of the 2014 draft, and there is beginning to be a lot of talk about Zack being the pick at #15, so he is definitely a player to be watching.

Keep an eye on Ian Hamilton. Hamilton was a good reliever in college during his first two years, but was moved to the rotation this spring and hasn't faired too well.

The Twins have put together some real good drafts.

http://www.the3rdmanin.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Screen-Shot-2016-03-25-at-8.44.20-AM.png Ian Anderson is a 6'3", 170 lb. right handed pitcher out of Shenendehowa High School in New York. Anderson has a repertoire of a mid nineties fastball, a slider that has potential as an out pitch, and a solid changeup. Ian can really pitch, as he is more than just a thrower, and his poise is very advanced for a prep player. His delivery is mechanically sound, and that will help his slight build hold up over the long season. The Vanderbilt commit could be a tough sign for the team that drafts him, but his athleticism and overall high ceiling are too much for teams to pass on him in the first round. Anderson has been compared to Walker Buehler because of their similar frames, but even if Ian stays healthy he will take a much longer time to develop than Buehler will. The Twins are a possible landing spot for Anderson, whom teams have not gotten much of a chance to see this spring because of an injury, but now that he is back on the mound he is moving up boards.

Can't tell if she is waving them home or putting on the stop sign.

Maybe the Braves can come back against the Royals bullpen.

Um, Mike Trout is the best player baseball has seen this century, and if the Twins want him they could have had him instead of Kyle Gibson.

Image courtesy of Steven Branscombe Zack Collins is a 6'3", 220 lb. catcher from the University of Miami who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 27th round of the 2013 draft, but he chose not to sign. Collins can really hit, and his patience at the plate enhances the rest of his offensive performance, making him one of the top college bats available in this year's draft. Zack has good power that will allow him to hit around 25 home runs per year, and his hit tool is solid enough that he should be able to be a .275 hitter. Miami's catcher is limited behind the plate, and he will have to move to first as a professional, but he hits well enough to move through a system quickly. Collins has moved higher up boards more than any other college hitter this spring, and his draft stock could continue to rise leading up to the draft. Because of the Chicago Cubs' success, draft fanatics have been putting heavy emphasis on players with similar profiles to Collins, but there is also a long list of similar players who have not lived up to expectations, with Yonder Alonso, Justin Smoak, and Ike Davis being a few, yet Collins should still provide enough value to justify being a middle to late first round pick. The Twins will be looking to add more offense with this year's draft, and if they cannot meet the asking price of their favorite prep players they could use Collins as a fall back option.

That must be Greg Myers?

No lack of strategy. They have brought in good catchers into the organization, and just remember that Lucroy, Molina, McCann, and Perez were not highly regarded prospects during their amateur days.

Thaiss reminds me of a Jeff Keppinger type bat. Good contact hitter, but doesn't have much power, not to mention he isn't a good defender and could end up moving to first.

Hey guys, just remember that Kurt Suzuki was the #2 college catching prospect in the 2004 MLB draft, behind only Landon Powell. LOL.

All of those guys have real potential behind the plate. It isn't like the Twins will be able to fix the current catching situation by taking a catcher on day one, and you have just as high of a chance of Murphy or Turner becoming an above average catcher as your pick becoming one.

We don't need to take a catcher on day one. Chris Devito is a similar player to Collins, but you should be able to grab him on day two. If you take a catcher on day one they should only take him if they absolutely believe that he will stick behind the plate, such as Sean Murphy or Jake Rogers.

I'm not Jeremy, but I think Okey will stick at catcher, and is about three years away. He will probably be drafted in the second round.

We are thinking along the same lines: In my mock from two weeks ago I had the Twins taking Garrett, but it is beginning to look like there is no chance of that.

If you go outside of the organization you have got to hire Dan Kantrovitz, IMO.

http://cdn.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Matt-Manning-2015-bm.jpg Image courtesy of Bill Mitchell Matt Manning is a 6'6", 185 lb. right handed pitcher from Sheldon High School in California. Manning was primarily throwing in the low nineties last year, but he shot out of the gates after a late start this spring, throwing up to 97 miles per hour. Matt's curveball is a good secondary offering that keeps getting better, and his changeup should be a big league average offering. The Loyola Marymount commit's height gives him good downward plane, and although his delivery has some effort he does repeat it well. Manning is very athletic, which is no surprise seeing that his father played in the NBA, and his natural talent as an athlete will be very useful on the mound. Manning will need to improve his control, but once he does he should be a Rick Porcello type pitcher in the middle of a rotation. The Twins have been scouting Manning this spring, with some believing he is their favorite, and if other players at the top of their board are gone they could very well select the California righty.

http://wac.b63f.edgecastcdn.net/80B63F/images/sidearm.sites/gatorzone.com/images/2015/12/16/150301_SchwarzJJ_9983_TimCasey.jpg JJ Schwarz #1 Mark Vientos - Shortstop - Florida High School Elite prep player who is similar to Manny Machado, but will stick at short. #2 J.B. Bukauskas - RHP - North Carolina This righty has the makings of an ace. #3 Jeren Kendall - OF - Vanderbilt Five tool college player. #4 Jake Burger - 3B - Missouri State In my opinion he could be the next Kris Bryant. #5 J.J. Schwarz - C - Florida A future all star backstop. #6 Cole Turney - OF - Texas High School Terrific prep hitter. #7 Kyle Wright - RHP - Vanderbilt Advanced pitcher for a very good school. #8 Brendan McKay - LHP - Louisville McKay has the repertoire of an ace. #9 Alex Faedo - RHP - Florida Really good pitcher for the best school in the country. #10 K.J. Harrison - C - Oregon State Harrison can flat out hit. #11 Alejandro Toral - 1B - Florida High School There is some big pop in this bat. #12 Hagen Danner - RHP - California High School The best prep pitcher in the class. #13 Conner Uselton - OF - Oklahoma High School Five tool prep player who has a very high ceiling. #14 Jordon Adell - OF - Kentucky High School Big time talent for this five tool player. #15 D.L. Hall - LHP - Georgia High School Best prep lefty who really knows how to pitch. #16 Kyle Jacobsen - OF - Georgia High School Jacobsen continues the long line of really good Georgia outfielders. #17 Ryan Vilade - SS - Texas High School Vilade reminds me of a lesser version of Brendan Rodgers. #18 Hans Crouse - RHP - California High School More of a thrower than a pitcher, but he has a ton of potential. #19 Tristan Beck - RHP - Stanford Beck told teams not to draft him right before last year’s draft, and now is the top draft eligible sophomore in next year’s draft. http://www.stanforddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Tristan-Beck_022016_BD_027.jpg Tristan Beck #20 Evan Skoug - C - TCU Skoug has tons of potential at the plate, but there are questions about whether or not he will remain behind it. #21 Carl Chester - OF - Miami Can hit for average and has good speed that will help him stick in center. #22 Alex Destino - OF - South Carolina Destino will likely move to right, where his arm and bat profile well. #23 Jayson Gonzalez - SS - California High School There are still questions about J-Gon, but he has tools you can dream on and is really smart. #24 Ricardo De La Torre - SS - Puerto Rico High School Athletic shortstops from Puerto Rico have a history of success in MLB, and De La Torre should be no exception. #25 - Alex Lange - RHP - LSU Lange positioned himself to be the #1 pick during his freshman year, but he has not performed well this spring. #26 - Tanner Houck - RHP - Missouri Houck is a tall righty who has good stuff. #27 - Pavin Smith - 1B - Virginia Some scouts think that his limited defensive value could hold him back, but he can really hit. #28 - Hunter Greene - RHP - California High School The UCLA commit is very athletic and has a good feel for pitching. #29 - Drew Rasmussen - RHP - Oregon State Rasmussen is out with Tommy John, but if he makes a good comeback next year he could go at the top of the draft. #30 - Je’Von Carrier-Ward - Outfield - California High School This kid has great tools and is very athletic for his 6’5”, 190 lb. frame. #31 - Michael Baumann - RHP - Jacksonville The Mahtomedi, Minnesota native is a big righty who should move quickly. #32 David Peterson - LHP - Oregon Peterson has missed time with injuries, but he is another guy who could move quickly. #33 Riley Adams - C - San Diego Even though Adams is 6’5” and 190 lb. he should stick behind the plate and hit well enough to be a regular starter. #34 Kyle Hurt - RHP - California High School Really good righty who has feel for pitching. #35 Shane Baz - RHP - Texas High School Texas fireballer who is young for his class. #36 Tanner Burns - RHP - Alabama High School Burns has good stuff and could really shoot up boards within the next year. #37 Nick Allen - SS - California High School Allen is a standout defensive player who can also hit. #38 Royce Lewis - IF/OF - California High School Lewis will likely end up in the infield, and his unusual batting stance works well for him. #39 Oraj Anu - OF - Florida Home School Anu is a switch hitter who has really good speed. #40 Dalton Guthrie - SS - Florida Guthrie is the son of former Twin Mark Guthrie, but Dalton is probably a better player than his dad. #41 Tristan Gray - SS - Rice Gray is a good shortstop who can also hit. #42 J.J. Matijevic - 1B - Arizona Matijevic has yet to stand out as a potential first round pick, but he should make big strides in the next year. #43 Francis Villaman - SS - Florida High School Although he is not as good as his predecessor at short for his high school (Nick Gordon) Villaman should stick at short and if teams believe he will hit enough he could be a first rounder. #44 Sam Carlson - RHP - Minnesota High School Carlson has some of the best pitchability in the draft, but the Florida recruit will probably go to college. http://www.d1baseball.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/BryceMontesDeOcaMissour700.jpg Bryce Montes de Oca #45 Bryce Montes de Oca - RHP - Missouri Bryce throws at 98 and could really move up boards in the next year. #46 Brady Puckett - RHP - Libscomb Puckett stands out as a 6’8”, 220 lb. righty. #47 Chris Mathewson - RHP - Long Beach State Mathewson is a guy who could move quickly, similar to Daulton Jefferies of this year’s class. #48 Clarke Schmidt - RHP - South Carolina Schmidt is having a breakout year in 2016, and if he repeats it during his junior year his stock will skyrocket. #49 Evan White - OF/1B - Kentucky White can flat out rake, but he will likely move to first as a pro. #50 - Austin Beck - OF - North Carolina High School Beck rounds out this list as another athletic prep player with a high ceiling. http://collegebaseballcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Kade-McClure.jpeg Kade McClure Others to keep an eye on: Adam Haseley (LHP/OF - Virginia) Garrett Benge (3B - Oklahoma) Glenn Otto (RHP - Rice) Griffin Canning (RHP - UCLA) Jesse Lepore (RHP - Miami) Matt Whatley (C - Oral Roberts) Mike Papierski (C - LSU) Stuart Fairchild (OF - Wake Forest) Kade McClure (RHP - Louisville) Keston Hiura (IF/OF - UC Irvine) http://collegebaseballcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Seth-Beer.jpg Seth Beer 2018 college guys: Seth Beer (OF - Clemson) Luken Baker (1B/RHP - TCU) Chandler Day (RHP - Vanderbilt) Nick Madrigal (SS - Oregon State) Jackson Kowar (RHP - Florida) Tyler Ivey (RHP - Texas A&M) Sean Hjelle (RHP - Kentucky) 2018 high school guys: Jarred Kelenic (OF - WI) Kumar Rocker (RHP - GA) Kendall Simmons (SS - GA) Brice Turang (SS - CA) Brandon Birdsell (RHP - TX) Alec Sanchez (SS - FL)

Why is Blankenhorn so low? In my book he is definitely a top 20 prospect.

Why? There isn't much in this draft, especially when you get into the middle of the first round, so you might as well shoot for a player like that and hope he is the next Trout.

William Benson is a 6'6", 220 lb. outfielder from The Westminster Schools in Georgia who will be seventeen at the time of the draft. Benson continues the long line of toolsy players from the Georgia prep ranks, and his athleticism is what stands out the most on a baseball field. Will has some of the best raw power in the class and he hits well on the inside part of the plate, but he needs to improve his coverage on the outer part of the plate. The Duke commit has a compact swing that works well for him, yet he can get caught up in the moment and start loosing control. He has fallen down boards somewhat as the spring has progressed, so if he is not taken in the first round signability could be an issue. Benson has a lot of natural baseball talent, and he plays good defense in the outfield and at first base, but his size will result in an eventual move to right field. The Twins are paying close attention to Benson, and if the players at the top of their board are gone it would be no surprise to see them take him.