Hrbowski

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.

http://www.post-gazette.com/image/2016/03/23/ca0,0,2589,1726/20160323MWHkirilloffSports11-10.jpg Image courtesy of Michael Henninger Alex Kirilloff is a 6'2", 195 lb. outfielder from Plum High School in Pennsylvania who has helium in this draft. Kirilloff is a raw player who has a lot of talent, yet he has not gotten as many opportunities to show scouts what he has compared to Mickey Moniak and Blake Rutherford, both from California. Kirilloff's best tool is his power, but he has a strong enough arm to play right field, and the rest of his tools will profile well as a corner outfielder. Although there are some concerns that his swing will get out of control and he may not be able to hit for a very high average in the majors, he has performed well against the top prep arms in this year's class. Alex is committed to Liberty University, so if he falls there should not be any issues about signability. A native of the Pittsburgh area, Kirilloff has impressed scouts with his makeup both on and off the field. The Twins could have interest in Alex Kirilloff because he is a fairly athletic prep player, and that seems to be their focus in this year's draft.

They are heavily scouting him, and most people in the industry believe they will go with a high school player.

"Urine trouble."

What does Melky Cabrera's mother say when she is mad at him?

http://s3.amazonaws.com/vnn-aws-sites/8161/files/2015/08/7dbd9321d5e32c89-image-600x338.jpg Joshua Lowe is a 6'4", 190 lb. two way player who is committed to Florida State University. Lowe will likely be drafted as a position player because he will hit for power as he physically matures, is an above average runner, and plays good defense. Josh will play third if he is drafted as a position player, and his great arm and quickness makes him the best defensive third baseman at the top of this year's class. As a hitter he uses a slight open stance and short stroke that helps him barrel up the ball well, with most scouts believing he will be an average big league hitter. The Georgia native is also getting some consideration as a pitcher, but his inconsistent secondary offerings limit his ceiling. The right handed thrower sits in the 91-93 miles per hour range with his fastball and tops out at 95. The Minnesota Twins are big fans of Lowe, who has a high ceiling as an offensive player, yet if he does not work out as a hitter they can always move him to the mound.

Hicks could end up better than Rosario, so I don't think that Hicks would have been a guaranteed bench player.

It doesn't make a difference if they don't add wins to the team. Hicks had over 400 plate appearances, which is definitely enough to judge a season. Murphy is being blocked anyways, and now just got sent down.

Two player trades that involve a prospect would fall under adding future value. Leo Cardenas for Jim Merrit was an ok trade, but Cardenas probably added only two wins to the team.

http://www.geeksandcleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/brian-cashman-geeksandcleats.jpg Throughout the offseason and up until July 31st of the regular season, Major League Baseball teams can freely trade any player who does not have a no trade clause in his contract, making trading an aspect that is very much focused upon. In the last decade, trades have had a huge effect on the baseball seasons, bringing key players to championship teams like the Kansas City Royals, or loosening payroll, which then allows teams like the Boston Red Sox to spend big during the offseason, enabling them to bring in star players. Trades involve professional players of all ages and capabilities, whether it is the San Francisco Giants trading for a veteran Marco Scutaro to help fuel a postseason run, or the Kansas City Royals trading their star pitcher Zack Greinke for prospects that will guide them to a World Series title five years down the road. Trades like these are a traditional part of baseball, and as long as they remain legal they will continue to be. Today I will look at the impact that two player trades have on a team’s value, including the Aaron Hicks for John Ryan Murphy trade, trades that do not have an effect on how many games you win, and swapping problems. The Minnesota Twins made headlines on November 11th, 2015, when they struck a deal with the New York Yankees, giving up center fielder Aaron Hicks in exchange for catcher John Ryan Murphy. At the time the trade did not bother me, yet looking back half a year later it makes me wonder why this trade ever happened, not because Aaron Hicks is having a breakout year for the Yankees, but because it did not add to or take away value from the team. Clearly both teams were well aware that it would not change their value, as the plan for both players was to have them spend the 2016 season on the bench, and they have essentially the same hitting skills. On the defensive side of the ball Hicks has a slight advantage, but the trade leveled out because of the Twins’ need for a young catcher, thanks in part to the trade of Wilson Ramos, who has not hit much, but has become one of the best defensive catchers in the game. As I mentioned earlier, Hicks and Murphy are pretty much the same kind of hitter; as can be seen in the graphs below, their batted ball and plate discipline numbers for the year 2015 are nearly identical. Hicks Batted Ball: Murphy Batted Ball: Hicks Plate Discipline: Murphy Plate Discipline: With these statistics in my mind, I started wondering why teams would trade two hitters who provided equal value with their bats because they could go out and grab a minor league player who would provide the same amount of value sitting on the bench that the player they were trading for had and still keep their original player. After expounding on this, I began wondering why teams would make trades that only involved two players as you would not be buying or selling; instead, you would only be making a trade that would have little effect on how many games you win. When teams are performing well enough to make a postseason run, they look at their weak spots and search for solutions to help upgrade, and when they make a trade to add immediate value, it is called buying. Meanwhile, when a team is performing poorly and is out of contention, they will look at their strong spots and try to trade away from them, helping them to accumulate value to dip into down the road. With this constant shifting of talent, we generally see waves of teams that will be good for a few years, bad for a few years, and then become competitive ball clubs again, but these changes in the standings are logical since there are thirty teams fighting for a trophy, yet it seems unreasonable to make trades that do not add immediate or future value. An analogy would be someone selling something they had and then buying an upgrade or a downgrade, whether it was a house, car, or even a lawn mower. A house, car, or lawn mower have significantly different value from each other, similar to Clayton Kershaw, Michael Wacha, and Tom Koehler. Also, there would be no point in selling something and then buying a replacement that had exactly the same value. Although you could be selling a house in Minnesota to get away from the cold and then buying a house with the same value in Florida, similar to the Twins trading a center fielder for a catcher that had approximately the same value, you would still end up with problems they have in Florida, which could be extreme heat, hurricanes, or sinkholes. The Twins and Yankees have had the same issues with the Hicks/Murphy trade, both ending up with hitters who have done relatively nothing at the plate so far this year, yet they do provide improvements in a few areas such as depth, but nothing you could not find elsewhere. To sum it up, trades that do not add either immediate or future value to a team are pointless because it does not matter which position is contributing to the team as long as you are benefiting equally. Some people will argue that trades involving two players that supposedly need a change of scenery would give both teams an upgrade over their previous roster, but even though you get rid of a problem, you just end up bringing in another one. Another common scenario is when a team has depth at one position yet is thin at another, they will trade from their depth to fill their need, but when you are still getting the same kind of production from your new player, it does not improve your team. Several of the trades the Twins have made would fall into this category, with the Carlos Gomez for JJ Hardy being the most famous, but also the Sam Fuld for Tommy Milone trade. These trades have no merit, and just end up with teams wondering why they chose hurricanes over blizzards.

I can't watch Tucker without thinking of his younger brother.

That was strike three!

What the umpire didn't want to hear.

Murphy has class. He was the one who chewed out the pimp named Carlos Gomez last year during the Yankees - Stros series.

I really like Murphy!

Apparently Adam Wainwright is a better hitter than pitcher.

http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/FLORIDA_A_M_FLORIDA_BASEBALL_35034752.JPG Image courtesy of John Raoux Logan Shore is a 6'1", 210 lb. right handed pitcher out of the University of Florida who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 29th round of the 2013 Rule 4 draft, but he honored his commitment to the Gators. Shore's fastball is good enough to be big league average, sitting in the low nineties, a slider that ranges anywhere from being his worst pitch to being a good out pitch, and a changeup, which is by far his best pitch and is probably the best changeup in this year's class. Logan repeats his delivery well and stays fairly loose, making him much more likely to stick in the rotation when he makes it to the big leagues, yet his tendency to snap his head hard as he delivers the ball could end up resulting in injuries. The righty has good control, walking only 1.46 per nine so far this season, plus he has improved his strikeout rate by 2.31 per nine this year. The Minnesotan has relatively few innings on his arm compared to a lot of pitchers from the south, and in this era of vast scrutiny of the health of pitchers it could help his draft stock. Contrary to popular belief, small pitchers have performed very well in the big leagues as their bodies do not breakdown as quickly compared to their larger counterparts, and Shore has a good build for a pitcher. The Twins will be keeping a close eye on Shore as the draft approaches, and they have drafted college pitchers who they drafted in high school, with Nick Burdi being an example.

Nearly had Kinsler.