Jonathon Zenk

With two months gone in the season, the Minnesota Twins big league club has the best record in baseball. In the minors, unfortunately, many big prospects are injured, some for a long period including Brusdar Graterol, Akil Baddoo, Stephen Gonsalves, Tyler Wells and Yunior Severino. However, there have been a number of bright spots in the minor league system. Many players have deservedly been already promoted this season. This list is for the players who should be moved up, and likely will be sometime relatively soon.
 
In this list, I avoided putting players in their first year with the level. Because of that, I did not put either Austin Schulfer or Gabe Snyder on this list, even though they have dominated at Low-A Cedar Rapids. Maybe they’ll make my August edition, if they are still with the Kernels at that time.
 
Honorable Mentions:
Michael Davis, SS, Cedar Rapids
Jared Akins, RF, Cedar Rapids
 
5. Gabriel Maciel, CF, Cedar Rapids
 
Maciel arrived in a July trade last season that sent Eduardo Escobar to Arizona. The 20-year-old is in the midst of his best year of full-season baseball. In his 30 games with the Kernels after the trade last season, he hit .263 and had an OPS of .683. He isn’t a power hitter, so his OPS will never be super high, but his OBP is .389, which is the best of his pro career, and his .728 OPS is the second-highest of his career. As a matter of fact, his OBP is the among the best in the Twins system, just behind Luis Arraez and Kernels teammate Gabe Snyder. Part of that strong OBP is his ability to draw walks, having coaxed 17 already this season. If Maciel keeps it up, I see him in Fort Myers sooner rather than later.
 
4. Jaylin Davis, RF, Pensacola
 
Davis is having one of his best seasons of pro ball. Not only is he hitting for power, his OBP is by far the best of his pro career at .386. That is helped by him cutting down on his strikeouts a bit and walking a lot more this season. In Fort Myers and Chattanooga last season, he combined to walk 44 times in 439 at-bats. However, in 142 at-bats this season, he already has 22 walks. Not only that, but his .430 slugging percentage is the best since he put up a .486 slugging percentage in 66 games with Cedar Rapids in the first half of 2017. He has a good batting average of .282 as well. Last year, in those 439 ABs, he had 11 homers, and he already has five this season. His numbers are up across the board, and should make an appearance in Rochester this season. However, Rochester is loaded at OF, so he might be blocked for the time being with Brent Rooker, LaMonte Wade, Luke Raley, Zander Wiel and Jake Cave all in New York.
 
3. Bryan Sammons, LHP, Fort Myers
 
Sammons has pitched extremely well in his first full season with the Miracle. Last year, he started the year in Cedar Rapids and dominated, going 5-5 with a 2.32 ERA, before being promoted to Fort Myers. In his first stint with the Miracle, he struggled, going 1-2 with an 8.49 ERA. He got a start with the Chattanooga Lookouts, but was knocked around there as well. He returned to Fort Myers to start 2019, and has been virtually unhittable. In his eight starts, he has given up four runs.....total. Sammons is 4-0 with a sparkling 0.94 ERA. He keeps the ball in the yard, having allowed just nine in his minor league career in 201.1 innings, and has given up just one in 38.1 innings this season. His strikeouts per nine innings is really good, as well, with 46 strikeouts in those 38.1 frames (10.8 K/9). Sammons’ .227 opposing batting average is impressive, and it is only a matter of time before he takes his talents to Pensacola to join the Blue Wahoos.
 
2. Hector Lujan, RHP, Fort Myers
 
Lujan got off to a slow start in 2019, as he allowed three runs in three innings in his first appearance of the season, and he allowed five in his first eight innings. Since then, he has been lights out. In his last 11 outings (21.1 innings), he has allowed just one earned run (0.43 ERA). Last season, he had a solid showing for the Miracle, going 5-5 with a 2.64 ERA. Although his numbers were solid across the board last year, he has improved significantly upon those numbers. He has a 1.84 ERA in 14 appearances. His strikeouts per nine innings rate has improved from 8.5 to nearly nine strikeouts per nine and from a 3.09/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio to 4.14/1. His batting average against has gone down significantly, from .248 in 2018 to .198 in 2019, and his WHIP has improved from 1.26 in 2018 to 0.95 in 2019. It is time for a challenge for Lujan, and I expect him to get that sometime in June.
 
1. Lewin Diaz, 1B, Fort Myers
 
Diaz was a big International Free Agent signing, and has had an up-and-down career so far with the Twins. He is just 22 years old, and doesn’t turn 23 until November. After a down season with the Miracle in 2018, he has turned the Florida State League into his personal launching pad. Diaz hasn’t put up numbers like this since his time in Rookie ball with Elizabethton. He already has more homers this year (9) than he had all 2018 (6) in half the at-bats. Diaz is still strikeout prone, but he has drawn more walks this season (8) and he drew 10 in all of 2018. I don’t know what has clicked, but numbers are so much better than 2018, even in a pitcher-friendly league. His OPS was just .598 last season, but that has sky-rocketed to an outstanding .911 this season. Diaz has shown he can be dominant, and he should move up to Pensacola relatively soon, especially with Taylor Grzelakowski struggling at first.

With two months gone in the season, the Minnesota Twins big league club has the best record in baseball. In the minors, unfortunately, many big prospects are injured, some for a long period including Brusdar Graterol, Akil Baddoo, Stephen Gonsalves, Tyler Wells and Yunior Severino. However, there have been a number of bright spots in the minor league system. Many players have deservedly been already promoted this season. This list is for the players who should be moved up, and likely will be sometime relatively soon.
 
In this list, I avoided putting players in their first year with the level. Because of that, I did not put either Austin Schulfer or Gabe Snyder on this list, even though they have dominated at Low-A Cedar Rapids. Maybe they’ll make my August edition, if they are still with the Kernels at that time.
 
Honorable Mentions:
Michael Davis, SS, Cedar Rapids
Jared Akins, RF, Cedar Rapids
 
5. Gabriel Maciel, CF, Cedar Rapids
 
Maciel arrived in a July trade last season that sent Eduardo Escobar to Arizona. The 20-year-old is in the midst of his best year of full-season baseball. In his 30 games with the Kernels after the trade last season, he hit .263 and had an OPS of .683. He isn’t a power hitter, so his OPS will never be super high, but his OBP is .389, which is the best of his pro career, and his .728 OPS is the second-highest of his career. As a matter of fact, his OBP is the among the best in the Twins system, just behind Luis Arraez and Kernels teammate Gabe Snyder. Part of that strong OBP is his ability to draw walks, having coaxed 17 already this season. If Maciel keeps it up, I see him in Fort Myers sooner rather than later.
 
4. Jaylin Davis, RF, Pensacola
 
Davis is having one of his best seasons of pro ball. Not only is he hitting for power, his OBP is by far the best of his pro career at .386. That is helped by him cutting down on his strikeouts a bit and walking a lot more this season. In Fort Myers and Chattanooga last season, he combined to walk 44 times in 439 at-bats. However, in 142 at-bats this season, he already has 22 walks. Not only that, but his .430 slugging percentage is the best since he put up a .486 slugging percentage in 66 games with Cedar Rapids in the first half of 2017. He has a good batting average of .282 as well. Last year, in those 439 ABs, he had 11 homers, and he already has five this season. His numbers are up across the board, and should make an appearance in Rochester this season. However, Rochester is loaded at OF, so he might be blocked for the time being with Brent Rooker, LaMonte Wade, Luke Raley, Zander Wiel and Jake Cave all in New York.
 
3. Bryan Sammons, LHP, Fort Myers
 
Sammons has pitched extremely well in his first full season with the Miracle. Last year, he started the year in Cedar Rapids and dominated, going 5-5 with a 2.32 ERA, before being promoted to Fort Myers. In his first stint with the Miracle, he struggled, going 1-2 with an 8.49 ERA. He got a start with the Chattanooga Lookouts, but was knocked around there as well. He returned to Fort Myers to start 2019, and has been virtually unhittable. In his eight starts, he has given up four runs.....total. Sammons is 4-0 with a sparkling 0.94 ERA. He keeps the ball in the yard, having allowed just nine in his minor league career in 201.1 innings, and has given up just one in 38.1 innings this season. His strikeouts per nine innings is really good, as well, with 46 strikeouts in those 38.1 frames (10.8 K/9). Sammons’ .227 opposing batting average is impressive, and it is only a matter of time before he takes his talents to Pensacola to join the Blue Wahoos.
 
2. Hector Lujan, RHP, Fort Myers
 
Lujan got off to a slow start in 2019, as he allowed three runs in three innings in his first appearance of the season, and he allowed five in his first eight innings. Since then, he has been lights out. In his last 11 outings (21.1 innings), he has allowed just one earned run (0.43 ERA). Last season, he had a solid showing for the Miracle, going 5-5 with a 2.64 ERA. Although his numbers were solid across the board last year, he has improved significantly upon those numbers. He has a 1.84 ERA in 14 appearances. His strikeouts per nine innings rate has improved from 8.5 to nearly nine strikeouts per nine and from a 3.09/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio to 4.14/1. His batting average against has gone down significantly, from .248 in 2018 to .198 in 2019, and his WHIP has improved from 1.26 in 2018 to 0.95 in 2019. It is time for a challenge for Lujan, and I expect him to get that sometime in June.
 
1. Lewin Diaz, 1B, Fort Myers
 
Diaz was a big International Free Agent signing, and has had an up-and-down career so far with the Twins. He is just 22 years old, and doesn’t turn 23 until November. After a down season with the Miracle in 2018, he has turned the Florida State League into his personal launching pad. Diaz hasn’t put up numbers like this since his time in Rookie ball with Elizabethton. He already has more homers this year (9) than he had all 2018 (6) in half the at-bats. Diaz is still strikeout prone, but he has drawn more walks this season (8) and he drew 10 in all of 2018. I don’t know what has clicked, but numbers are so much better than 2018, even in a pitcher-friendly league. His OPS was just .598 last season, but that has sky-rocketed to an outstanding .911 this season. Diaz has shown he can be dominant, and he should move up to Pensacola relatively soon, especially with Taylor Grzelakowski struggling at first.

It is hard to put into words how much Brian Dozier has meant to the Twins organization. It has been a blast watching Brian grow into one of the better power hitters in the league. He has had a bit of a down year, and that is a shame, but that does not take away the joy he has brought to not only Twins fans, but the community as well.
 
Many think of Dozier as the guy who gets upset when teams bunt for a hit in the ninth inning in a blowout like he did in the first series of the year in Baltimore when Chance Sisco did just that. But that is not who Dozier is. He is much more like this story from a few weeks back.
 
He came up at age 25 in 2012 to the Twins while the team was in the midst of a 66-96 season, good for last place in the AL Central as well as the entire American League. That year, Dozier was called up in May to replace Justin Morneau. He’d go onto hit six homers and drive in 33 in 316 at-bats. His OPS was only .603, but that he would make a huge jump from there on.
 
Even with the team continuing to lose, No. 2 had become a feared power hitter in the Twins lineup. From the time he made his debut on May 7, 2012, through 2014, the Twins had a record of just 195-264 and never finished above fourth in the division. Still, Brian improved his homer total from six in 2012 to 18 in 2013 to 23 in 2014. Along with that, his OPS improved to .762 in 2014.
 
Everything all started to come together in 2015. Minnesota started out hot in 2015, and so did Dozier. Heading into June, the Twins had a record of 30-19, and they were 49-40 at the All-Star break, firmly in contention for a playoff spot. During that first half, he gave us Twins fans some unforgettable moments. Dozier, who was in the running for the Final Vote for the All-Star game, hit two walk-off homers in the span of a week. First, he crushed a homer to left field off Baltimore’s Tommy Hunter to beat the Orioles 4-2. Then, he gave Target Field its best moment since Jim Thome’s walk-off in 2010 vs. Chicago. With the Twins trailing 6-1 in the ninth inning against Detroit, it appeared Minnesota was going to fall to 2-9 against the Tigers on the year. Instead, they strung together four hits as well as a walk and a hit batter to cut the Detroit lead to 6-5 with runners on first and second and one out. Detroit closer Joakim Soria hung a curve to Dozier, and the Twins second baseman blasted it off the facing of the upper deck for the improbable win.
 
He fell in the Final Vote to Mike Moustakas of Kansas City, but Dozier wound up going to Cincinnati anyway, replacing Toronto’s Jose Bautista. All he did in his first All-Star game was hit a homer in the eighth inning off Pittsburgh’s Mark Melancon in the American League’s 6-3 win. He was just the second Twins player with a pinch-hit homer in an All-Star game, joining Twins legend Harmon Killebrew. He joined Killebrew and another Twins legend, Kirby Puckett, as the only Twins players to homer in an All-Star game, period.
 
He had a disappointing second half of the season, and the Twins faded a bit. After hitting 19 bombs in the first half of the season, he only hit nine after the break. After the break, his batting average went from .256 down to .236, and his OPS went from the .841 he had in the first half down to .751 at season’s end. Even then, they had a chance to make the playoffs heading into the final series of the season, but Minnesota was outscored 14-3 in a 3-game sweep at the hands of the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals.
 
There was plenty of optimism after that season, but the Twins stumbled to the league’s worst record. But even then, Dozier gave Twins fans a reason to come out to Target Field. The former Southern Miss standout hit 42 bombs in 2016, which set an American League record for homers as a second baseman in one season, surpassing former New York Yankees and Texas Rangers standout Alfonso Soriano. The guy had turned into one of the most feared sluggers in the game. Not bad for somebody who only hit 16 home runs combined in the minors.
 
He had another great year in 2017, helping lead the Twins back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010, as he hit .271 with 34 homers and 93 RBI. Dozier also hit a leadoff home run in the Wild Card game against the Yankees.
Yes, he and a number of teammates have had a rough first four months of this season, which is why they’re at the point they are at. Although, he did give us fans one more lasting memory, as he hit a walk-off grand slam off Tampa Bay’s Matt Andriese in the last game before the All-Star break. It is unfortunate that this is the way things had to end because Brian has been such a good player on the field since he came up here and has made an even bigger impact off of it.
 
Whether it was hitting walk-off homers, like the one he hit in Detroit to cap off a big comeback, or if it was just bonding with fans, Brian has given us tons of memories in his seven years here, and we wish you nothing but the best in Los Angeles.
 
Thank you, No. 2!

It is hard to put into words how much Brian Dozier has meant to the Twins organization. It has been a blast watching Brian grow into one of the better power hitters in the league. He has had a bit of a down year, and that is a shame, but that does not take away the joy he has brought to not only Twins fans, but the community as well.
 
Many think of Dozier as the guy who gets upset when teams bunt for a hit in the ninth inning in a blowout like he did in the first series of the year in Baltimore when Chance Sisco did just that. But that is not who Dozier is. He is much more like this story from a few weeks back.
 
He came up at age 25 in 2012 to the Twins while the team was in the midst of a 66-96 season, good for last place in the AL Central as well as the entire American League. That year, Dozier was called up in May to replace Justin Morneau. He’d go onto hit six homers and drive in 33 in 316 at-bats. His OPS was only .603, but that he would make a huge jump from there on.
 
Even with the team continuing to lose, No. 2 had become a feared power hitter in the Twins lineup. From the time he made his debut on May 7, 2012, through 2014, the Twins had a record of just 195-264 and never finished above fourth in the division. Still, Brian improved his homer total from six in 2012 to 18 in 2013 to 23 in 2014. Along with that, his OPS improved to .762 in 2014.
 
Everything all started to come together in 2015. Minnesota started out hot in 2015, and so did Dozier. Heading into June, the Twins had a record of 30-19, and they were 49-40 at the All-Star break, firmly in contention for a playoff spot. During that first half, he gave us Twins fans some unforgettable moments. Dozier, who was in the running for the Final Vote for the All-Star game, hit two walk-off homers in the span of a week. First, he crushed a homer to left field off Baltimore’s Tommy Hunter to beat the Orioles 4-2. Then, he gave Target Field its best moment since Jim Thome’s walk-off in 2010 vs. Chicago. With the Twins trailing 6-1 in the ninth inning against Detroit, it appeared Minnesota was going to fall to 2-9 against the Tigers on the year. Instead, they strung together four hits as well as a walk and a hit batter to cut the Detroit lead to 6-5 with runners on first and second and one out. Detroit closer Joakim Soria hung a curve to Dozier, and the Twins second baseman blasted it off the facing of the upper deck for the improbable win.
 
He fell in the Final Vote to Mike Moustakas of Kansas City, but Dozier wound up going to Cincinnati anyway, replacing Toronto’s Jose Bautista. All he did in his first All-Star game was hit a homer in the eighth inning off Pittsburgh’s Mark Melancon in the American League’s 6-3 win. He was just the second Twins player with a pinch-hit homer in an All-Star game, joining Twins legend Harmon Killebrew. He joined Killebrew and another Twins legend, Kirby Puckett, as the only Twins players to homer in an All-Star game, period.
 
He had a disappointing second half of the season, and the Twins faded a bit. After hitting 19 bombs in the first half of the season, he only hit nine after the break. After the break, his batting average went from .256 down to .236, and his OPS went from the .841 he had in the first half down to .751 at season’s end. Even then, they had a chance to make the playoffs heading into the final series of the season, but Minnesota was outscored 14-3 in a 3-game sweep at the hands of the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals.
 
There was plenty of optimism after that season, but the Twins stumbled to the league’s worst record. But even then, Dozier gave Twins fans a reason to come out to Target Field. The former Southern Miss standout hit 42 bombs in 2016, which set an American League record for homers as a second baseman in one season, surpassing former New York Yankees and Texas Rangers standout Alfonso Soriano. The guy had turned into one of the most feared sluggers in the game. Not bad for somebody who only hit 16 home runs combined in the minors.
 
He had another great year in 2017, helping lead the Twins back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010, as he hit .271 with 34 homers and 93 RBI. Dozier also hit a leadoff home run in the Wild Card game against the Yankees.
Yes, he and a number of teammates have had a rough first four months of this season, which is why they’re at the point they are at. Although, he did give us fans one more lasting memory, as he hit a walk-off grand slam off Tampa Bay’s Matt Andriese in the last game before the All-Star break. It is unfortunate that this is the way things had to end because Brian has been such a good player on the field since he came up here and has made an even bigger impact off of it.
 
Whether it was hitting walk-off homers, like the one he hit in Detroit to cap off a big comeback, or if it was just bonding with fans, Brian has given us tons of memories in his seven years here, and we wish you nothing but the best in Los Angeles.
 
Thank you, No. 2!

It is hard to put into words how much Brian Dozier has meant to the Twins organization. It has been a blast watching Brian grow into one of the better power hitters in the league. He has had a bit of a down year, and that is a shame, but that does not take away the joy he has brought to not only Twins fans, but the community as well.
 
Many think of Dozier as the guy who gets upset when teams bunt for a hit in the ninth inning in a blowout like he did in the first series of the year in Baltimore when Chance Sisco did just that. But that is not who Dozier is. He is much more like this story from a few weeks back.
 
He came up at age 25 in 2012 to the Twins while the team was in the midst of a 66-96 season, good for last place in the AL Central as well as the entire American League. That year, Dozier was called up in May to replace Justin Morneau. He’d go onto hit six homers and drive in 33 in 316 at-bats. His OPS was only .603, but that he would make a huge jump from there on.
 
Even with the team continuing to lose, No. 2 had become a feared power hitter in the Twins lineup. From the time he made his debut on May 7, 2012, through 2014, the Twins had a record of just 195-264 and never finished above fourth in the division. Still, Brian improved his homer total from six in 2012 to 18 in 2013 to 23 in 2014. Along with that, his OPS improved to .762 in 2014.
 
Everything all started to come together in 2015. Minnesota started out hot in 2015, and so did Dozier. Heading into June, the Twins had a record of 30-19, and they were 49-40 at the All-Star break, firmly in contention for a playoff spot. During that first half, he gave us Twins fans some unforgettable moments. Dozier, who was in the running for the Final Vote for the All-Star game, hit two walk-off homers in the span of a week. First, he crushed a homer to left field off Baltimore’s Tommy Hunter to beat the Orioles 4-2. Then, he gave Target Field its best moment since Jim Thome’s walk-off in 2010 vs. Chicago. With the Twins trailing 6-1 in the ninth inning against Detroit, it appeared Minnesota was going to fall to 2-9 against the Tigers on the year. Instead, they strung together four hits as well as a walk and a hit batter to cut the Detroit lead to 6-5 with runners on first and second and one out. Detroit closer Joakim Soria hung a curve to Dozier, and the Twins second baseman blasted it off the facing of the upper deck for the improbable win.
 
He fell in the Final Vote to Mike Moustakas of Kansas City, but Dozier wound up going to Cincinnati anyway, replacing Toronto’s Jose Bautista. All he did in his first All-Star game was hit a homer in the eighth inning off Pittsburgh’s Mark Melancon in the American League’s 6-3 win. He was just the second Twins player with a pinch-hit homer in an All-Star game, joining Twins legend Harmon Killebrew. He joined Killebrew and another Twins legend, Kirby Puckett, as the only Twins players to homer in an All-Star game, period.
 
He had a disappointing second half of the season, and the Twins faded a bit. After hitting 19 bombs in the first half of the season, he only hit nine after the break. After the break, his batting average went from .256 down to .236, and his OPS went from the .841 he had in the first half down to .751 at season’s end. Even then, they had a chance to make the playoffs heading into the final series of the season, but Minnesota was outscored 14-3 in a 3-game sweep at the hands of the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals.
 
There was plenty of optimism after that season, but the Twins stumbled to the league’s worst record. But even then, Dozier gave Twins fans a reason to come out to Target Field. The former Southern Miss standout hit 42 bombs in 2016, which set an American League record for homers as a second baseman in one season, surpassing former New York Yankees and Texas Rangers standout Alfonso Soriano. The guy had turned into one of the most feared sluggers in the game. Not bad for somebody who only hit 16 home runs combined in the minors.
 
He had another great year in 2017, helping lead the Twins back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010, as he hit .271 with 34 homers and 93 RBI. Dozier also hit a leadoff home run in the Wild Card game against the Yankees.
Yes, he and a number of teammates have had a rough first four months of this season, which is why they’re at the point they are at. Although, he did give us fans one more lasting memory, as he hit a walk-off grand slam off Tampa Bay’s Matt Andriese in the last game before the All-Star break. It is unfortunate that this is the way things had to end because Brian has been such a good player on the field since he came up here and has made an even bigger impact off of it.
 
Whether it was hitting walk-off homers, like the one he hit in Detroit to cap off a big comeback, or if it was just bonding with fans, Brian has given us tons of memories in his seven years here, and we wish you nothing but the best in Los Angeles.
 
Thank you, No. 2!

It is hard to put into words how much Brian Dozier has meant to the Twins organization. It has been a blast watching Brian grow into one of the better power hitters in the league. He has had a bit of a down year, and that is a shame, but that does not take away the joy he has brought to not only Twins fans, but the community as well.
 
Many think of Dozier as the guy who gets upset when teams bunt for a hit in the ninth inning in a blowout like he did in the first series of the year in Baltimore when Chance Sisco did just that. But that is not who Dozier is. He is much more like this story from a few weeks back.
 
He came up at age 25 in 2012 to the Twins while the team was in the midst of a 66-96 season, good for last place in the AL Central as well as the entire American League. That year, Dozier was called up in May to replace Justin Morneau. He’d go onto hit six homers and drive in 33 in 316 at-bats. His OPS was only .603, but that he would make a huge jump from there on.
 
Even with the team continuing to lose, No. 2 had become a feared power hitter in the Twins lineup. From the time he made his debut on May 7, 2012, through 2014, the Twins had a record of just 195-264 and never finished above fourth in the division. Still, Brian improved his homer total from six in 2012 to 18 in 2013 to 23 in 2014. Along with that, his OPS improved to .762 in 2014.
 
Everything all started to come together in 2015. Minnesota started out hot in 2015, and so did Dozier. Heading into June, the Twins had a record of 30-19, and they were 49-40 at the All-Star break, firmly in contention for a playoff spot. During that first half, he gave us Twins fans some unforgettable moments. Dozier, who was in the running for the Final Vote for the All-Star game, hit two walk-off homers in the span of a week. First, he crushed a homer to left field off Baltimore’s Tommy Hunter to beat the Orioles 4-2. Then, he gave Target Field its best moment since Jim Thome’s walk-off in 2010 vs. Chicago. With the Twins trailing 6-1 in the ninth inning against Detroit, it appeared Minnesota was going to fall to 2-9 against the Tigers on the year. Instead, they strung together four hits as well as a walk and a hit batter to cut the Detroit lead to 6-5 with runners on first and second and one out. Detroit closer Joakim Soria hung a curve to Dozier, and the Twins second baseman blasted it off the facing of the upper deck for the improbable win.
 
He fell in the Final Vote to Mike Moustakas of Kansas City, but Dozier wound up going to Cincinnati anyway, replacing Toronto’s Jose Bautista. All he did in his first All-Star game was hit a homer in the eighth inning off Pittsburgh’s Mark Melancon in the American League’s 6-3 win. He was just the second Twins player with a pinch-hit homer in an All-Star game, joining Twins legend Harmon Killebrew. He joined Killebrew and another Twins legend, Kirby Puckett, as the only Twins players to homer in an All-Star game, period.
 
He had a disappointing second half of the season, and the Twins faded a bit. After hitting 19 bombs in the first half of the season, he only hit nine after the break. After the break, his batting average went from .256 down to .236, and his OPS went from the .841 he had in the first half down to .751 at season’s end. Even then, they had a chance to make the playoffs heading into the final series of the season, but Minnesota was outscored 14-3 in a 3-game sweep at the hands of the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals.
 
There was plenty of optimism after that season, but the Twins stumbled to the league’s worst record. But even then, Dozier gave Twins fans a reason to come out to Target Field. The former Southern Miss standout hit 42 bombs in 2016, which set an American League record for homers as a second baseman in one season, surpassing former New York Yankees and Texas Rangers standout Alfonso Soriano. The guy had turned into one of the most feared sluggers in the game. Not bad for somebody who only hit 16 home runs combined in the minors.
 
He had another great year in 2017, helping lead the Twins back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010, as he hit .271 with 34 homers and 93 RBI. Dozier also hit a leadoff home run in the Wild Card game against the Yankees.
Yes, he and a number of teammates have had a rough first four months of this season, which is why they’re at the point they are at. Although, he did give us fans one more lasting memory, as he hit a walk-off grand slam off Tampa Bay’s Matt Andriese in the last game before the All-Star break. It is unfortunate that this is the way things had to end because Brian has been such a good player on the field since he came up here and has made an even bigger impact off of it.
 
Whether it was hitting walk-off homers, like the one he hit in Detroit to cap off a big comeback, or if it was just bonding with fans, Brian has given us tons of memories in his seven years here, and we wish you nothing but the best in Los Angeles.
 
Thank you, No. 2!

It is hard to put into words how much Brian Dozier has meant to the Twins organization. It has been a blast watching Brian grow into one of the better power hitters in the league. He has had a bit of a down year, and that is a shame, but that does not take away the joy he has brought to not only Twins fans, but the community as well.
 
Many think of Dozier as the guy who gets upset when teams bunt for a hit in the ninth inning in a blowout like he did in the first series of the year in Baltimore when Chance Sisco did just that. But that is not who Dozier is. He is much more like this story from a few weeks back.
 
He came up at age 25 in 2012 to the Twins while the team was in the midst of a 66-96 season, good for last place in the AL Central as well as the entire American League. That year, Dozier was called up in May to replace Justin Morneau. He’d go onto hit six homers and drive in 33 in 316 at-bats. His OPS was only .603, but that he would make a huge jump from there on.
 
Even with the team continuing to lose, No. 2 had become a feared power hitter in the Twins lineup. From the time he made his debut on May 7, 2012, through 2014, the Twins had a record of just 195-264 and never finished above fourth in the division. Still, Brian improved his homer total from six in 2012 to 18 in 2013 to 23 in 2014. Along with that, his OPS improved to .762 in 2014.
 
Everything all started to come together in 2015. Minnesota started out hot in 2015, and so did Dozier. Heading into June, the Twins had a record of 30-19, and they were 49-40 at the All-Star break, firmly in contention for a playoff spot. During that first half, he gave us Twins fans some unforgettable moments. Dozier, who was in the running for the Final Vote for the All-Star game, hit two walk-off homers in the span of a week. First, he crushed a homer to left field off Baltimore’s Tommy Hunter to beat the Orioles 4-2. Then, he gave Target Field its best moment since Jim Thome’s walk-off in 2010 vs. Chicago. With the Twins trailing 6-1 in the ninth inning against Detroit, it appeared Minnesota was going to fall to 2-9 against the Tigers on the year. Instead, they strung together four hits as well as a walk and a hit batter to cut the Detroit lead to 6-5 with runners on first and second and one out. Detroit closer Joakim Soria hung a curve to Dozier, and the Twins second baseman blasted it off the facing of the upper deck for the improbable win.
 
He fell in the Final Vote to Mike Moustakas of Kansas City, but Dozier wound up going to Cincinnati anyway, replacing Toronto’s Jose Bautista. All he did in his first All-Star game was hit a homer in the eighth inning off Pittsburgh’s Mark Melancon in the American League’s 6-3 win. He was just the second Twins player with a pinch-hit homer in an All-Star game, joining Twins legend Harmon Killebrew. He joined Killebrew and another Twins legend, Kirby Puckett, as the only Twins players to homer in an All-Star game, period.
 
He had a disappointing second half of the season, and the Twins faded a bit. After hitting 19 bombs in the first half of the season, he only hit nine after the break. After the break, his batting average went from .256 down to .236, and his OPS went from the .841 he had in the first half down to .751 at season’s end. Even then, they had a chance to make the playoffs heading into the final series of the season, but Minnesota was outscored 14-3 in a 3-game sweep at the hands of the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals.
 
There was plenty of optimism after that season, but the Twins stumbled to the league’s worst record. But even then, Dozier gave Twins fans a reason to come out to Target Field. The former Southern Miss standout hit 42 bombs in 2016, which set an American League record for homers as a second baseman in one season, surpassing former New York Yankees and Texas Rangers standout Alfonso Soriano. The guy had turned into one of the most feared sluggers in the game. Not bad for somebody who only hit 16 home runs combined in the minors.
 
He had another great year in 2017, helping lead the Twins back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010, as he hit .271 with 34 homers and 93 RBI. Dozier also hit a leadoff home run in the Wild Card game against the Yankees.
Yes, he and a number of teammates have had a rough first four months of this season, which is why they’re at the point they are at. Although, he did give us fans one more lasting memory, as he hit a walk-off grand slam off Tampa Bay’s Matt Andriese in the last game before the All-Star break. It is unfortunate that this is the way things had to end because Brian has been such a good player on the field since he came up here and has made an even bigger impact off of it.
 
Whether it was hitting walk-off homers, like the one he hit in Detroit to cap off a big comeback, or if it was just bonding with fans, Brian has given us tons of memories in his seven years here, and we wish you nothing but the best in Los Angeles.
 
Thank you, No. 2!

Two months ago, I wrote an article here about who should be promoted. Well, four of those five on the list have been promoted, as well as two of the three of my honorable mentions. Well, I am back again to do an updated list. I decided to write this one before I head off to school to work on my Master’s because I likely won’t have much time when that time comes.
 
Honorable Mentions:
Johan Quezada, RP, Elizabethton
Tyler Benninghoff, SP, GCL Twins
Anthony Escobar, SP, DSL Twins
Todd Van Steensel, RP, Chattanooga
 
5. Janigson Villalobos, C, GCL Twins
 
Villalobos was traded to the Twins earlier this season from San Diego in a deal that saw Minnesota say goodbye to Phil Hughes and a draft pick. In his first three seasons, he has improved dramatically, and he has made his biggest jump this year. In 56 at-bats this season in the Gulf Coast League, he has a slash line of .339/.413/.429. Only four of his 19 hits have been for extra bases, so hopefully that comes around for him. He does have a solid eye at the plate, as he has walked seven times in his 56 at-bats and has only struck out nine times (yes, I said that in an Ed Rooney voice). Having turned 21 a few months ago, he may have figured a few things out and a trip to Elizabethton could be in order. I mean, it makes sense, too. Ben Rodriguez was promoted to Fort Myers and Ryan Jeffers to Cedar Rapids. It makes logical sense that someone like Villalobos could take Jeffers’ roster spot in Tennessee.
 
4.. Bailey Ober, SP, Cedar Rapids
 
Ober’s stats do not ‘wow’ you over the entire season, but he has been lights out his past three starts (and really good over his last seven). The 23-year-old has an ERA of 3.88, but while that may not seem impressive, it certainly is considering how his 2018 started. His season got off to a rocky start, allowing six runs on five hits in 2/3 of an inning in a 10-5 loss to Burlington in late April. In his first three starts, he allowed 14 runs in 9.2 innings, as well as at least four runs in five of his first six starts. But since, he has only allowed eight runs in previous seven starts combined, and four of those came in a 7-4 win over Burlington last month. Since the calendar turned to June, he is 6-1 with an ERA of 1.58, slicing his season ERA from 7.86 to 3.88. His opponents batting average also went down from .339 to .252, and his WHIP went down from 1.59 to an impressive 1.08. In his last three starts, he has turned it up a notch, allowing just one run in 21.2 innings (0.42 ERA), while striking out a whopping 34. I don’t know if he will be promoted just yet, but if he has another few starts like he has had recently, there is no choice but to promote him. Last week, former teammate Bryan Sammons was promoted from Cedar Rapids to Fort Myers. Ober could be next, maybe taking over a spot left by Tyler Wells, who I believe will move up to Double-A Chattanooga shortly.
 
3. Robby Rinn, 1B, Cedar Rapids
 
Rinn is an older prospect, and I normally don’t put them on this list, but he has been mashing for the Kernels. The 25-year-old was in Fort Myers for six games earlier this year, but was then returned to Cedar Rapids, where he has had 169 at-bats. In the 43 games he has played with the Kernels, he has hit .314 and has a real nice OPS of .826. Being an older prospect in a low level like Low-A, Rinn should be able to perform well, and he has done just that. Rinn, who was a 25th round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2016, was traded by the Royals to the Twins in March. In 322 at-bats for the Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie) last year, Rinn had a slash line of .355/.429/.511. With Rinn turning 26 in October, he needs to be challenged and he can platoon with Lewin Diaz in High-A Fort Myers. It also makes sense for the Twins, as he can be replaced on the team by 2018 eighth round pick Chris Williams, who has a slash line of .271/.380/.551 for the Elizabethton Twins.
 
2. Tyler Wells, SP, Fort Myers
 
All Tyler Wells has done since being drafted is dominate. Since being drafted in 15th round by the Twins in 2016, he had his worst year in Elizabethton after being drafted....and he went 5-2 with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.20. Following a successful stint in Cedar Rapids in 2017, Wells has had his best season in 2018. In 15 starts for the High-A Fort Myers Miracle, the Cal State Bernardino product has gone 7-4 with an ERA of 2.97 and a WHIP of an incredible 0.93. Like Rinn, he is also is a bit of an older prospect, as he turns 24 next month. He has slumped a little in July, just going 0-1 with an ERA of nearly five this month. But this comes on the heels of a great June, in which he went 4-0 with an ERA of just 1.63. Unlike many of the pitchers in the Twins organization, Wells does not have control problems, having just walked 16 in 78.2 innings so far this season. He should be promoted sometime late this year, which would create a roster spot for Ober to move to Fort Myers.
 
1. Victor Heredia, C/1B, DSL Twins
 
There is a very real possibility you have never heard of this slugger from Venezuela. Well, he has used the Dominican Summer League as his personal launching pad. Heredia did decent last season as a 16 and 17-year-old, slashing .257/.356/.351. But he has turned it up a level this season. In 36 games, Heredia, who just turned 18 last month, has a slash line of .366/.404/.611. Of his 48 hits, 18 have been for extra bases. Last season, he was listed as a catcher, but he has played first base this season. He has the ability to do both, much like Ben Rodrguez, who was recently promoted to Fort Myers. After having a real nice June, having a batting average of .300 and an OPS of .867, he has gone into Terminator Mode. Since the calendar turned to the seventh month of the year, Heredia has a slash line of .466/.492/.759. Heredia has 10 extra base hits in his 58 at-bats in the month as well. Even as a right-handed hitter, he has shown to hit right-handed pitching better than lefties. In 82 at-bats against righties, the Venezuela native has a slash line of .391/.426/.685. There is nothing left to prove down in the Dominican Summer League. If they want to utilize him as a catcher, he can take the spot on the GCL Twins left by Villalobos, who I think should be promotoed soon. The Ryan Jeffers/Ben Rodriguez promotions could send help lead Heredia to the United States before the season ends.
 
As always, feel free to critique and add who you feel should be promoted by the end of the 2018 season.

Two months ago, I wrote an article here about who should be promoted. Well, four of those five on the list have been promoted, as well as two of the three of my honorable mentions. Well, I am back again to do an updated list. I decided to write this one before I head off to school to work on my Master’s because I likely won’t have much time when that time comes.
 
Honorable Mentions:
Johan Quezada, RP, Elizabethton
Tyler Benninghoff, SP, GCL Twins
Anthony Escobar, SP, DSL Twins
Todd Van Steensel, RP, Chattanooga
 
5. Janigson Villalobos, C, GCL Twins
 
Villalobos was traded to the Twins earlier this season from San Diego in a deal that saw Minnesota say goodbye to Phil Hughes and a draft pick. In his first three seasons, he has improved dramatically, and he has made his biggest jump this year. In 56 at-bats this season in the Gulf Coast League, he has a slash line of .339/.413/.429. Only four of his 19 hits have been for extra bases, so hopefully that comes around for him. He does have a solid eye at the plate, as he has walked seven times in his 56 at-bats and has only struck out nine times (yes, I said that in an Ed Rooney voice). Having turned 21 a few months ago, he may have figured a few things out and a trip to Elizabethton could be in order. I mean, it makes sense, too. Ben Rodriguez was promoted to Fort Myers and Ryan Jeffers to Cedar Rapids. It makes logical sense that someone like Villalobos could take Jeffers’ roster spot in Tennessee.
 
4.. Bailey Ober, SP, Cedar Rapids
 
Ober’s stats do not ‘wow’ you over the entire season, but he has been lights out his past three starts (and really good over his last seven). The 23-year-old has an ERA of 3.88, but while that may not seem impressive, it certainly is considering how his 2018 started. His season got off to a rocky start, allowing six runs on five hits in 2/3 of an inning in a 10-5 loss to Burlington in late April. In his first three starts, he allowed 14 runs in 9.2 innings, as well as at least four runs in five of his first six starts. But since, he has only allowed eight runs in previous seven starts combined, and four of those came in a 7-4 win over Burlington last month. Since the calendar turned to June, he is 6-1 with an ERA of 1.58, slicing his season ERA from 7.86 to 3.88. His opponents batting average also went down from .339 to .252, and his WHIP went down from 1.59 to an impressive 1.08. In his last three starts, he has turned it up a notch, allowing just one run in 21.2 innings (0.42 ERA), while striking out a whopping 34. I don’t know if he will be promoted just yet, but if he has another few starts like he has had recently, there is no choice but to promote him. Last week, former teammate Bryan Sammons was promoted from Cedar Rapids to Fort Myers. Ober could be next, maybe taking over a spot left by Tyler Wells, who I believe will move up to Double-A Chattanooga shortly.
 
3. Robby Rinn, 1B, Cedar Rapids
 
Rinn is an older prospect, and I normally don’t put them on this list, but he has been mashing for the Kernels. The 25-year-old was in Fort Myers for six games earlier this year, but was then returned to Cedar Rapids, where he has had 169 at-bats. In the 43 games he has played with the Kernels, he has hit .314 and has a real nice OPS of .826. Being an older prospect in a low level like Low-A, Rinn should be able to perform well, and he has done just that. Rinn, who was a 25th round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2016, was traded by the Royals to the Twins in March. In 322 at-bats for the Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie) last year, Rinn had a slash line of .355/.429/.511. With Rinn turning 26 in October, he needs to be challenged and he can platoon with Lewin Diaz in High-A Fort Myers. It also makes sense for the Twins, as he can be replaced on the team by 2018 eighth round pick Chris Williams, who has a slash line of .271/.380/.551 for the Elizabethton Twins.
 
2. Tyler Wells, SP, Fort Myers
 
All Tyler Wells has done since being drafted is dominate. Since being drafted in 15th round by the Twins in 2016, he had his worst year in Elizabethton after being drafted....and he went 5-2 with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.20. Following a successful stint in Cedar Rapids in 2017, Wells has had his best season in 2018. In 15 starts for the High-A Fort Myers Miracle, the Cal State Bernardino product has gone 7-4 with an ERA of 2.97 and a WHIP of an incredible 0.93. Like Rinn, he is also is a bit of an older prospect, as he turns 24 next month. He has slumped a little in July, just going 0-1 with an ERA of nearly five this month. But this comes on the heels of a great June, in which he went 4-0 with an ERA of just 1.63. Unlike many of the pitchers in the Twins organization, Wells does not have control problems, having just walked 16 in 78.2 innings so far this season. He should be promoted sometime late this year, which would create a roster spot for Ober to move to Fort Myers.
 
1. Victor Heredia, C/1B, DSL Twins
 
There is a very real possibility you have never heard of this slugger from Venezuela. Well, he has used the Dominican Summer League as his personal launching pad. Heredia did decent last season as a 16 and 17-year-old, slashing .257/.356/.351. But he has turned it up a level this season. In 36 games, Heredia, who just turned 18 last month, has a slash line of .366/.404/.611. Of his 48 hits, 18 have been for extra bases. Last season, he was listed as a catcher, but he has played first base this season. He has the ability to do both, much like Ben Rodrguez, who was recently promoted to Fort Myers. After having a real nice June, having a batting average of .300 and an OPS of .867, he has gone into Terminator Mode. Since the calendar turned to the seventh month of the year, Heredia has a slash line of .466/.492/.759. Heredia has 10 extra base hits in his 58 at-bats in the month as well. Even as a right-handed hitter, he has shown to hit right-handed pitching better than lefties. In 82 at-bats against righties, the Venezuela native has a slash line of .391/.426/.685. There is nothing left to prove down in the Dominican Summer League. If they want to utilize him as a catcher, he can take the spot on the GCL Twins left by Villalobos, who I think should be promotoed soon. The Ryan Jeffers/Ben Rodriguez promotions could send help lead Heredia to the United States before the season ends.
 
As always, feel free to critique and add who you feel should be promoted by the end of the 2018 season.

Two months ago, I wrote an article here about who should be promoted. Well, four of those five on the list have been promoted, as well as two of the three of my honorable mentions. Well, I am back again to do an updated list. I decided to write this one before I head off to school to work on my Master’s because I likely won’t have much time when that time comes.
 
Honorable Mentions:
Johan Quezada, RP, Elizabethton
Tyler Benninghoff, SP, GCL Twins
Anthony Escobar, SP, DSL Twins
Todd Van Steensel, RP, Chattanooga
 
5. Janigson Villalobos, C, GCL Twins
 
Villalobos was traded to the Twins earlier this season from San Diego in a deal that saw Minnesota say goodbye to Phil Hughes and a draft pick. In his first three seasons, he has improved dramatically, and he has made his biggest jump this year. In 56 at-bats this season in the Gulf Coast League, he has a slash line of .339/.413/.429. Only four of his 19 hits have been for extra bases, so hopefully that comes around for him. He does have a solid eye at the plate, as he has walked seven times in his 56 at-bats and has only struck out nine times (yes, I said that in an Ed Rooney voice). Having turned 21 a few months ago, he may have figured a few things out and a trip to Elizabethton could be in order. I mean, it makes sense, too. Ben Rodriguez was promoted to Fort Myers and Ryan Jeffers to Cedar Rapids. It makes logical sense that someone like Villalobos could take Jeffers’ roster spot in Tennessee.
 
4.. Bailey Ober, SP, Cedar Rapids
 
Ober’s stats do not ‘wow’ you over the entire season, but he has been lights out his past three starts (and really good over his last seven). The 23-year-old has an ERA of 3.88, but while that may not seem impressive, it certainly is considering how his 2018 started. His season got off to a rocky start, allowing six runs on five hits in 2/3 of an inning in a 10-5 loss to Burlington in late April. In his first three starts, he allowed 14 runs in 9.2 innings, as well as at least four runs in five of his first six starts. But since, he has only allowed eight runs in previous seven starts combined, and four of those came in a 7-4 win over Burlington last month. Since the calendar turned to June, he is 6-1 with an ERA of 1.58, slicing his season ERA from 7.86 to 3.88. His opponents batting average also went down from .339 to .252, and his WHIP went down from 1.59 to an impressive 1.08. In his last three starts, he has turned it up a notch, allowing just one run in 21.2 innings (0.42 ERA), while striking out a whopping 34. I don’t know if he will be promoted just yet, but if he has another few starts like he has had recently, there is no choice but to promote him. Last week, former teammate Bryan Sammons was promoted from Cedar Rapids to Fort Myers. Ober could be next, maybe taking over a spot left by Tyler Wells, who I believe will move up to Double-A Chattanooga shortly.
 
3. Robby Rinn, 1B, Cedar Rapids
 
Rinn is an older prospect, and I normally don’t put them on this list, but he has been mashing for the Kernels. The 25-year-old was in Fort Myers for six games earlier this year, but was then returned to Cedar Rapids, where he has had 169 at-bats. In the 43 games he has played with the Kernels, he has hit .314 and has a real nice OPS of .826. Being an older prospect in a low level like Low-A, Rinn should be able to perform well, and he has done just that. Rinn, who was a 25th round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2016, was traded by the Royals to the Twins in March. In 322 at-bats for the Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie) last year, Rinn had a slash line of .355/.429/.511. With Rinn turning 26 in October, he needs to be challenged and he can platoon with Lewin Diaz in High-A Fort Myers. It also makes sense for the Twins, as he can be replaced on the team by 2018 eighth round pick Chris Williams, who has a slash line of .271/.380/.551 for the Elizabethton Twins.
 
2. Tyler Wells, SP, Fort Myers
 
All Tyler Wells has done since being drafted is dominate. Since being drafted in 15th round by the Twins in 2016, he had his worst year in Elizabethton after being drafted....and he went 5-2 with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.20. Following a successful stint in Cedar Rapids in 2017, Wells has had his best season in 2018. In 15 starts for the High-A Fort Myers Miracle, the Cal State Bernardino product has gone 7-4 with an ERA of 2.97 and a WHIP of an incredible 0.93. Like Rinn, he is also is a bit of an older prospect, as he turns 24 next month. He has slumped a little in July, just going 0-1 with an ERA of nearly five this month. But this comes on the heels of a great June, in which he went 4-0 with an ERA of just 1.63. Unlike many of the pitchers in the Twins organization, Wells does not have control problems, having just walked 16 in 78.2 innings so far this season. He should be promoted sometime late this year, which would create a roster spot for Ober to move to Fort Myers.
 
1. Victor Heredia, C/1B, DSL Twins
 
There is a very real possibility you have never heard of this slugger from Venezuela. Well, he has used the Dominican Summer League as his personal launching pad. Heredia did decent last season as a 16 and 17-year-old, slashing .257/.356/.351. But he has turned it up a level this season. In 36 games, Heredia, who just turned 18 last month, has a slash line of .366/.404/.611. Of his 48 hits, 18 have been for extra bases. Last season, he was listed as a catcher, but he has played first base this season. He has the ability to do both, much like Ben Rodrguez, who was recently promoted to Fort Myers. After having a real nice June, having a batting average of .300 and an OPS of .867, he has gone into Terminator Mode. Since the calendar turned to the seventh month of the year, Heredia has a slash line of .466/.492/.759. Heredia has 10 extra base hits in his 58 at-bats in the month as well. Even as a right-handed hitter, he has shown to hit right-handed pitching better than lefties. In 82 at-bats against righties, the Venezuela native has a slash line of .391/.426/.685. There is nothing left to prove down in the Dominican Summer League. If they want to utilize him as a catcher, he can take the spot on the GCL Twins left by Villalobos, who I think should be promotoed soon. The Ryan Jeffers/Ben Rodriguez promotions could send help lead Heredia to the United States before the season ends.
 
As always, feel free to critique and add who you feel should be promoted by the end of the 2018 season.

Two months ago, I wrote an article here about who should be promoted. Well, four of those five on the list have been promoted, as well as two of the three of my honorable mentions. Well, I am back again to do an updated list. I decided to write this one before I head off to school to work on my Master’s because I likely won’t have much time when that time comes.
 
Honorable Mentions:
Johan Quezada, RP, Elizabethton
Tyler Benninghoff, SP, GCL Twins
Anthony Escobar, SP, DSL Twins
Todd Van Steensel, RP, Chattanooga
 
5. Janigson Villalobos, C, GCL Twins
 
Villalobos was traded to the Twins earlier this season from San Diego in a deal that saw Minnesota say goodbye to Phil Hughes and a draft pick. In his first three seasons, he has improved dramatically, and he has made his biggest jump this year. In 56 at-bats this season in the Gulf Coast League, he has a slash line of .339/.413/.429. Only four of his 19 hits have been for extra bases, so hopefully that comes around for him. He does have a solid eye at the plate, as he has walked seven times in his 56 at-bats and has only struck out nine times (yes, I said that in an Ed Rooney voice). Having turned 21 a few months ago, he may have figured a few things out and a trip to Elizabethton could be in order. I mean, it makes sense, too. Ben Rodriguez was promoted to Fort Myers and Ryan Jeffers to Cedar Rapids. It makes logical sense that someone like Villalobos could take Jeffers’ roster spot in Tennessee.
 
4.. Bailey Ober, SP, Cedar Rapids
 
Ober’s stats do not ‘wow’ you over the entire season, but he has been lights out his past three starts (and really good over his last seven). The 23-year-old has an ERA of 3.88, but while that may not seem impressive, it certainly is considering how his 2018 started. His season got off to a rocky start, allowing six runs on five hits in 2/3 of an inning in a 10-5 loss to Burlington in late April. In his first three starts, he allowed 14 runs in 9.2 innings, as well as at least four runs in five of his first six starts. But since, he has only allowed eight runs in previous seven starts combined, and four of those came in a 7-4 win over Burlington last month. Since the calendar turned to June, he is 6-1 with an ERA of 1.58, slicing his season ERA from 7.86 to 3.88. His opponents batting average also went down from .339 to .252, and his WHIP went down from 1.59 to an impressive 1.08. In his last three starts, he has turned it up a notch, allowing just one run in 21.2 innings (0.42 ERA), while striking out a whopping 34. I don’t know if he will be promoted just yet, but if he has another few starts like he has had recently, there is no choice but to promote him. Last week, former teammate Bryan Sammons was promoted from Cedar Rapids to Fort Myers. Ober could be next, maybe taking over a spot left by Tyler Wells, who I believe will move up to Double-A Chattanooga shortly.
 
3. Robby Rinn, 1B, Cedar Rapids
 
Rinn is an older prospect, and I normally don’t put them on this list, but he has been mashing for the Kernels. The 25-year-old was in Fort Myers for six games earlier this year, but was then returned to Cedar Rapids, where he has had 169 at-bats. In the 43 games he has played with the Kernels, he has hit .314 and has a real nice OPS of .826. Being an older prospect in a low level like Low-A, Rinn should be able to perform well, and he has done just that. Rinn, who was a 25th round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2016, was traded by the Royals to the Twins in March. In 322 at-bats for the Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie) last year, Rinn had a slash line of .355/.429/.511. With Rinn turning 26 in October, he needs to be challenged and he can platoon with Lewin Diaz in High-A Fort Myers. It also makes sense for the Twins, as he can be replaced on the team by 2018 eighth round pick Chris Williams, who has a slash line of .271/.380/.551 for the Elizabethton Twins.
 
2. Tyler Wells, SP, Fort Myers
 
All Tyler Wells has done since being drafted is dominate. Since being drafted in 15th round by the Twins in 2016, he had his worst year in Elizabethton after being drafted....and he went 5-2 with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.20. Following a successful stint in Cedar Rapids in 2017, Wells has had his best season in 2018. In 15 starts for the High-A Fort Myers Miracle, the Cal State Bernardino product has gone 7-4 with an ERA of 2.97 and a WHIP of an incredible 0.93. Like Rinn, he is also is a bit of an older prospect, as he turns 24 next month. He has slumped a little in July, just going 0-1 with an ERA of nearly five this month. But this comes on the heels of a great June, in which he went 4-0 with an ERA of just 1.63. Unlike many of the pitchers in the Twins organization, Wells does not have control problems, having just walked 16 in 78.2 innings so far this season. He should be promoted sometime late this year, which would create a roster spot for Ober to move to Fort Myers.
 
1. Victor Heredia, C/1B, DSL Twins
 
There is a very real possibility you have never heard of this slugger from Venezuela. Well, he has used the Dominican Summer League as his personal launching pad. Heredia did decent last season as a 16 and 17-year-old, slashing .257/.356/.351. But he has turned it up a level this season. In 36 games, Heredia, who just turned 18 last month, has a slash line of .366/.404/.611. Of his 48 hits, 18 have been for extra bases. Last season, he was listed as a catcher, but he has played first base this season. He has the ability to do both, much like Ben Rodrguez, who was recently promoted to Fort Myers. After having a real nice June, having a batting average of .300 and an OPS of .867, he has gone into Terminator Mode. Since the calendar turned to the seventh month of the year, Heredia has a slash line of .466/.492/.759. Heredia has 10 extra base hits in his 58 at-bats in the month as well. Even as a right-handed hitter, he has shown to hit right-handed pitching better than lefties. In 82 at-bats against righties, the Venezuela native has a slash line of .391/.426/.685. There is nothing left to prove down in the Dominican Summer League. If they want to utilize him as a catcher, he can take the spot on the GCL Twins left by Villalobos, who I think should be promotoed soon. The Ryan Jeffers/Ben Rodriguez promotions could send help lead Heredia to the United States before the season ends.
 
As always, feel free to critique and add who you feel should be promoted by the end of the 2018 season.

Two months ago, I wrote an article here about who should be promoted. Well, four of those five on the list have been promoted, as well as two of the three of my honorable mentions. Well, I am back again to do an updated list. I decided to write this one before I head off to school to work on my Master’s because I likely won’t have much time when that time comes.
 
Honorable Mentions:
Johan Quezada, RP, Elizabethton
Tyler Benninghoff, SP, GCL Twins
Anthony Escobar, SP, DSL Twins
Todd Van Steensel, RP, Chattanooga
 
5. Janigson Villalobos, C, GCL Twins
 
Villalobos was traded to the Twins earlier this season from San Diego in a deal that saw Minnesota say goodbye to Phil Hughes and a draft pick. In his first three seasons, he has improved dramatically, and he has made his biggest jump this year. In 56 at-bats this season in the Gulf Coast League, he has a slash line of .339/.413/.429. Only four of his 19 hits have been for extra bases, so hopefully that comes around for him. He does have a solid eye at the plate, as he has walked seven times in his 56 at-bats and has only struck out nine times (yes, I said that in an Ed Rooney voice). Having turned 21 a few months ago, he may have figured a few things out and a trip to Elizabethton could be in order. I mean, it makes sense, too. Ben Rodriguez was promoted to Fort Myers and Ryan Jeffers to Cedar Rapids. It makes logical sense that someone like Villalobos could take Jeffers’ roster spot in Tennessee.
 
4.. Bailey Ober, SP, Cedar Rapids
 
Ober’s stats do not ‘wow’ you over the entire season, but he has been lights out his past three starts (and really good over his last seven). The 23-year-old has an ERA of 3.88, but while that may not seem impressive, it certainly is considering how his 2018 started. His season got off to a rocky start, allowing six runs on five hits in 2/3 of an inning in a 10-5 loss to Burlington in late April. In his first three starts, he allowed 14 runs in 9.2 innings, as well as at least four runs in five of his first six starts. But since, he has only allowed eight runs in previous seven starts combined, and four of those came in a 7-4 win over Burlington last month. Since the calendar turned to June, he is 6-1 with an ERA of 1.58, slicing his season ERA from 7.86 to 3.88. His opponents batting average also went down from .339 to .252, and his WHIP went down from 1.59 to an impressive 1.08. In his last three starts, he has turned it up a notch, allowing just one run in 21.2 innings (0.42 ERA), while striking out a whopping 34. I don’t know if he will be promoted just yet, but if he has another few starts like he has had recently, there is no choice but to promote him. Last week, former teammate Bryan Sammons was promoted from Cedar Rapids to Fort Myers. Ober could be next, maybe taking over a spot left by Tyler Wells, who I believe will move up to Double-A Chattanooga shortly.
 
3. Robby Rinn, 1B, Cedar Rapids
 
Rinn is an older prospect, and I normally don’t put them on this list, but he has been mashing for the Kernels. The 25-year-old was in Fort Myers for six games earlier this year, but was then returned to Cedar Rapids, where he has had 169 at-bats. In the 43 games he has played with the Kernels, he has hit .314 and has a real nice OPS of .826. Being an older prospect in a low level like Low-A, Rinn should be able to perform well, and he has done just that. Rinn, who was a 25th round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2016, was traded by the Royals to the Twins in March. In 322 at-bats for the Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie) last year, Rinn had a slash line of .355/.429/.511. With Rinn turning 26 in October, he needs to be challenged and he can platoon with Lewin Diaz in High-A Fort Myers. It also makes sense for the Twins, as he can be replaced on the team by 2018 eighth round pick Chris Williams, who has a slash line of .271/.380/.551 for the Elizabethton Twins.
 
2. Tyler Wells, SP, Fort Myers
 
All Tyler Wells has done since being drafted is dominate. Since being drafted in 15th round by the Twins in 2016, he had his worst year in Elizabethton after being drafted....and he went 5-2 with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.20. Following a successful stint in Cedar Rapids in 2017, Wells has had his best season in 2018. In 15 starts for the High-A Fort Myers Miracle, the Cal State Bernardino product has gone 7-4 with an ERA of 2.97 and a WHIP of an incredible 0.93. Like Rinn, he is also is a bit of an older prospect, as he turns 24 next month. He has slumped a little in July, just going 0-1 with an ERA of nearly five this month. But this comes on the heels of a great June, in which he went 4-0 with an ERA of just 1.63. Unlike many of the pitchers in the Twins organization, Wells does not have control problems, having just walked 16 in 78.2 innings so far this season. He should be promoted sometime late this year, which would create a roster spot for Ober to move to Fort Myers.
 
1. Victor Heredia, C/1B, DSL Twins
 
There is a very real possibility you have never heard of this slugger from Venezuela. Well, he has used the Dominican Summer League as his personal launching pad. Heredia did decent last season as a 16 and 17-year-old, slashing .257/.356/.351. But he has turned it up a level this season. In 36 games, Heredia, who just turned 18 last month, has a slash line of .366/.404/.611. Of his 48 hits, 18 have been for extra bases. Last season, he was listed as a catcher, but he has played first base this season. He has the ability to do both, much like Ben Rodrguez, who was recently promoted to Fort Myers. After having a real nice June, having a batting average of .300 and an OPS of .867, he has gone into Terminator Mode. Since the calendar turned to the seventh month of the year, Heredia has a slash line of .466/.492/.759. Heredia has 10 extra base hits in his 58 at-bats in the month as well. Even as a right-handed hitter, he has shown to hit right-handed pitching better than lefties. In 82 at-bats against righties, the Venezuela native has a slash line of .391/.426/.685. There is nothing left to prove down in the Dominican Summer League. If they want to utilize him as a catcher, he can take the spot on the GCL Twins left by Villalobos, who I think should be promotoed soon. The Ryan Jeffers/Ben Rodriguez promotions could send help lead Heredia to the United States before the season ends.
 
As always, feel free to critique and add who you feel should be promoted by the end of the 2018 season.

Two months ago, I wrote an article here about who should be promoted. Well, four of those five on the list have been promoted, as well as two of the three of my honorable mentions. Well, I am back again to do an updated list. I decided to write this one before I head off to school to work on my Master’s because I likely won’t have much time when that time comes.
 
Honorable Mentions:
Johan Quezada, RP, Elizabethton
Tyler Benninghoff, SP, GCL Twins
Anthony Escobar, SP, DSL Twins
Todd Van Steensel, RP, Chattanooga
 
5. Janigson Villalobos, C, GCL Twins
 
Villalobos was traded to the Twins earlier this season from San Diego in a deal that saw Minnesota say goodbye to Phil Hughes and a draft pick. In his first three seasons, he has improved dramatically, and he has made his biggest jump this year. In 56 at-bats this season in the Gulf Coast League, he has a slash line of .339/.413/.429. Only four of his 19 hits have been for extra bases, so hopefully that comes around for him. He does have a solid eye at the plate, as he has walked seven times in his 56 at-bats and has only struck out nine times (yes, I said that in an Ed Rooney voice). Having turned 21 a few months ago, he may have figured a few things out and a trip to Elizabethton could be in order. I mean, it makes sense, too. Ben Rodriguez was promoted to Fort Myers and Ryan Jeffers to Cedar Rapids. It makes logical sense that someone like Villalobos could take Jeffers’ roster spot in Tennessee.
 
4.. Bailey Ober, SP, Cedar Rapids
 
Ober’s stats do not ‘wow’ you over the entire season, but he has been lights out his past three starts (and really good over his last seven). The 23-year-old has an ERA of 3.88, but while that may not seem impressive, it certainly is considering how his 2018 started. His season got off to a rocky start, allowing six runs on five hits in 2/3 of an inning in a 10-5 loss to Burlington in late April. In his first three starts, he allowed 14 runs in 9.2 innings, as well as at least four runs in five of his first six starts. But since, he has only allowed eight runs in previous seven starts combined, and four of those came in a 7-4 win over Burlington last month. Since the calendar turned to June, he is 6-1 with an ERA of 1.58, slicing his season ERA from 7.86 to 3.88. His opponents batting average also went down from .339 to .252, and his WHIP went down from 1.59 to an impressive 1.08. In his last three starts, he has turned it up a notch, allowing just one run in 21.2 innings (0.42 ERA), while striking out a whopping 34. I don’t know if he will be promoted just yet, but if he has another few starts like he has had recently, there is no choice but to promote him. Last week, former teammate Bryan Sammons was promoted from Cedar Rapids to Fort Myers. Ober could be next, maybe taking over a spot left by Tyler Wells, who I believe will move up to Double-A Chattanooga shortly.
 
3. Robby Rinn, 1B, Cedar Rapids
 
Rinn is an older prospect, and I normally don’t put them on this list, but he has been mashing for the Kernels. The 25-year-old was in Fort Myers for six games earlier this year, but was then returned to Cedar Rapids, where he has had 169 at-bats. In the 43 games he has played with the Kernels, he has hit .314 and has a real nice OPS of .826. Being an older prospect in a low level like Low-A, Rinn should be able to perform well, and he has done just that. Rinn, who was a 25th round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2016, was traded by the Royals to the Twins in March. In 322 at-bats for the Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie) last year, Rinn had a slash line of .355/.429/.511. With Rinn turning 26 in October, he needs to be challenged and he can platoon with Lewin Diaz in High-A Fort Myers. It also makes sense for the Twins, as he can be replaced on the team by 2018 eighth round pick Chris Williams, who has a slash line of .271/.380/.551 for the Elizabethton Twins.
 
2. Tyler Wells, SP, Fort Myers
 
All Tyler Wells has done since being drafted is dominate. Since being drafted in 15th round by the Twins in 2016, he had his worst year in Elizabethton after being drafted....and he went 5-2 with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.20. Following a successful stint in Cedar Rapids in 2017, Wells has had his best season in 2018. In 15 starts for the High-A Fort Myers Miracle, the Cal State Bernardino product has gone 7-4 with an ERA of 2.97 and a WHIP of an incredible 0.93. Like Rinn, he is also is a bit of an older prospect, as he turns 24 next month. He has slumped a little in July, just going 0-1 with an ERA of nearly five this month. But this comes on the heels of a great June, in which he went 4-0 with an ERA of just 1.63. Unlike many of the pitchers in the Twins organization, Wells does not have control problems, having just walked 16 in 78.2 innings so far this season. He should be promoted sometime late this year, which would create a roster spot for Ober to move to Fort Myers.
 
1. Victor Heredia, C/1B, DSL Twins
 
There is a very real possibility you have never heard of this slugger from Venezuela. Well, he has used the Dominican Summer League as his personal launching pad. Heredia did decent last season as a 16 and 17-year-old, slashing .257/.356/.351. But he has turned it up a level this season. In 36 games, Heredia, who just turned 18 last month, has a slash line of .366/.404/.611. Of his 48 hits, 18 have been for extra bases. Last season, he was listed as a catcher, but he has played first base this season. He has the ability to do both, much like Ben Rodrguez, who was recently promoted to Fort Myers. After having a real nice June, having a batting average of .300 and an OPS of .867, he has gone into Terminator Mode. Since the calendar turned to the seventh month of the year, Heredia has a slash line of .466/.492/.759. Heredia has 10 extra base hits in his 58 at-bats in the month as well. Even as a right-handed hitter, he has shown to hit right-handed pitching better than lefties. In 82 at-bats against righties, the Venezuela native has a slash line of .391/.426/.685. There is nothing left to prove down in the Dominican Summer League. If they want to utilize him as a catcher, he can take the spot on the GCL Twins left by Villalobos, who I think should be promotoed soon. The Ryan Jeffers/Ben Rodriguez promotions could send help lead Heredia to the United States before the season ends.
 
As always, feel free to critique and add who you feel should be promoted by the end of the 2018 season.

I flash back to June 9, 2016, and the Minnesota Twins sat with a record of 18-40 and they were fighting the Atlanta Braves for the worst record in all of baseball. Not only that, but the minor league system left a lot to be desired. Byron Buxton and Jose Berrios were called up that season, and after the first few prospects, there was not much that excited Twins fans. So, in other words, their major league club was awful and there was not much help on the way.
 
Enter the 2016 draft. It turned out to be Terry Ryan’s Swan song, as he was fired the following month. With a bad major league product and a lack of good prospects in the minors, Ryan needed to hit on the draft picks in a big way. A bad draft could have set the organization back even further.
 
Minnesota had pick No. 15, and many fans wanted the team to take Boston College pitcher Justin Dunn. Instead, the Twins took high school outfielder Alex Kirilloff. Dunn has done fine, as the 22-year-old currently has a 2.79 ERA in eight starts for the St. Lucie Mets. However, it is clear Ryan made the right decision.
 
After missing the entire 2017 season due to Tommy John surgery, Kirilloff has destroyed the Midwest League so far this year, and has recently made his debut in Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list. In 51 games, the 20-year-old has slashed .332/.385/.598. He is currently in the top three in the Midwest League in hits, average, slugging percentage, OPS, homers, RBI and doubles. Obviously, this is just the first step for him, but he is proving his old general manager right, and he will likely get a taste of the Florida State League later this summer.
 
The string of solid draft picks did not stop with Kirilloff, though, as they added catcher Ben Rortvedt, outfielder Akil Baddoo and second baseman Jose Miranda with their next three picks. They also added pitcher Tyler Wells in the 15th round. Four of the five are top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline, and I imagine Wells will enter that mix soon.
 
After a few rough years at the plate, Rortvedt has found a groove. Through 37 games, he is batting .281 with an OPS of .729. He has a ways to go yet, but he is certainly trending in the right direction, and will be promoted soon with Kirilloff.
 
Baddoo and Miranda both started off the season real slow, but are just now catching fire. After his batting average fell to .212 May 18, Baddoo has hit .333 (11-33) in the eight games since. One of the more impressive things about Baddoo is that his OBP has hovered around .400, even when his batting average has taken a hit. His OBP has not been below .370 since April 22 and has not been lower than .386 since the start of May.
 
Miranda, like Baddoo, struggled for much of the start of the season. On April 23, his batting average slumped below the Mendoza line, and it would stay that way for a month. He had a six-game hitting streak snapped on Saturday, but in those six games of the hitting streak, he had a batting average of .500 (12-24), knocking in nine runs.
 
Those four picks by Ryan especially helped get things moving in the right direction for when Derek Falvey and Thad Levine took over at the start of the 2017 season. The difference between then and now, especially in the minor league system, is night and day.
 
The major league club was able to make its first playoff appearance since 2010 last October, and the minor league system has gone from one of the worst in all of baseball to one of the better ones. Falvey and Levine kept the momentum going, as they took a bit of heat for passing on pitcher Hunter Greene to go with shortstop Royce Lewis, who looks like he could be the next big thing with the Twins. The Twins also added Brent Rooker and Blayne Enlow with two of their next three picks. Lewis, Rooker and Enlow are all in Baseball America’s top 10 Twins prospects.
 
There is no doubt that Ryan had warts, and that the Twins needed to make a change. However, as we sit here on June 4, 2018, the organization is in significantly better shape than it was just two years ago. The minor league system is on the verge of becoming one of the best in baseball, the big league ball club is having an underwhelming, but still only 3.5 games in back of Cleveland for the AL Central lead. The turnaround started that summer two seasons ago when the Twins had a great draft to catapult themselves back into MLB relevancy.
 
Twins minor league acquisitions since June 2016 on MLB Pipeline’s top 30
 
1. Royce Lewis, SS
6. Alex Kirilloff, OF
8. Brent Rooker, 1B/OF
9. Blayne Enlow, RHP
11. Akil Baddoo, OF
15. Zack Littell, RHP
19. Andrew Bechtold, 3B
21. Tyler Watson, RHP
23. Ben Rortvedt, C
24. Jacob Pearson, OF
25. Jake Cave, OF
28. Jose Miranda, 2B
29. Landon Leach, RHP
30. Yunior Severino, 2B

We are just about two months into the regular season, and the Minnesota Twins are under-performing. When the Twins are pitching well, the offense is non-existent and when they are hitting well, the pitching has been bad. However, it is not all bad for the organization. The minor league system has been solid, with many of the organization’s top prospects playing like it. Like the past two seasons, this is a list of my top five prospects who should be promoted. Some of the top players like Stephen Gonsalves and Nick Gordon have already been moved up a level, so we'll see who will follow shortly.
 
In this list, I avoided putting players in their first year with the level. Because of that, I did not put Alex Kirilloff on this list, even though he has been the best player in the organization this season. Other players who were not added because of that are Zander Wiel, Tyler Wells and Brusdar Graterol. Perhaps they could be added to my next one in late July or early August if they keep performing.
 
Here is my list...
 
Honorable Mentions:
Tyler Jay, LHP, Chattanooga
Jordan Gore, 2B, Cedar Rapids
Bryan Sammons, LHP, Cedar Rapids
 
 
5. Ben Rortvedt, C, Cedar Rapids
 
Everyone knows how much of a fan I am of him. My last article for Twins Daily raved about Rotvedt as the catcher of the future. It has been an up and down season for the Verona, Wis., native. At the time I wrote my Rortvedt piece, the catcher was hitting .471 through his first four games of the season. But apparently I was the kiss of the death, as he went on a month-long slump. In a stretch that saw his batting average plummet down to .225 on May 10, Rortvedt only had eight hits in 54 at-bats (.148). In addition to his .148 batting average, his OBP slipped down to .286 and he had an OPS of just .624. After having three extra base hits in his first four games, he had just three during that 15-game stretch. But Rortvedt has since rebounded. In the three weeks (17 games) since the slump, he has hit .333 (21-63) with five of the 21 hits being extra base hits. His batting average has ballooned up to .276 with an OPS of .719. The 2016 second round pick has improved in every single area. His average has improved by 52 points, his OBP by 47 points and his OPS by an incredible 122 points. Despite his homer numbers being down a bit, his extra-base numbers are up. His strikeout numbers are up a bit, but I think it is time to move up the 20-year-old to Fort Myers.
 
4. LaMonte Wade, OF, Chattanooga
 
Wade is one of the more under-the-radar prospects in the Twins organization. With Byron Buxton on the disabled list once again, I wish they would put Wade up in the majors instead of rolling with Ryan LaMarre. The 24-year-old was drafted in the ninth round in 2015 and has been as consistent as any player in the system. After dominating the Florida State League in the last half of 2016, Wade played the entire 2017 season in Double-A Chattanooga. All he did there was hit .292 with seven homers and an OPS of .805. Wade started this season in Chattanooga once again, and has done as well, or maybe even better. Currently, his average sits at .289, but has struggled a bit since coming off the DL (1-11). However, the Baltimore native was hitting .305 before the injury with an OPS of .864. That is promotion worthy. In a weird stat, he has hit six homers this year after hitting seven in 2017, but Wade does not yet have a double. Gordon was promoted in May to Rochester, and I have a feeling the former Maryland Terrapin is not far away.
 
3. Andrew Vasquez, LHP, Fort Myers
 
Vasquez has pitched 1.1 innings with Chattanooga this year, but I do not count that as primarily being a member of the Lookouts. So, I am putting the 24-year-old as No. 3 on this list. I am a bit surprised he didn’t start the season with the Lookouts, even if he only pitched 35.2 innings with the Miracle in 2017. But the 24-year-old started this season in Florida, and has done even better. In 27.1 innings this season, Vasquez has a miniscule 0.66 ERA, along with a .210 batting average and a 1.06 WHIP. Last year, in his 35.2 innings, he had a 1.51 ERA and a .241 opponents batting average. His strikeout numbers are a bit down from last year, but still very good. In 2016, Vasquez struck out 52 batters in the 35.2 innings, and in 2017, he has struck out 30 in 27.1 innings. I know he was promoted to Chattanooga for a game, but then he went back to High-A Fort Myers. It is time to promote him for good. Chattanooga has a few relievers who are worthy of a promotion, so he might be promoted for good once that happens.
 
2. Royce Lewis, SS, Cedar Rapids
 
Many probably think I am crazy for not putting him at the top spot. I mean, it would make sense. He has been really good for the Kernels this year. After hitting .296 last year for the Kernels in 18 games, Lewis has been on fire in 2018. In 41 games this year, last year’s top overall pick has hit .307. Lewis, who turns 19 on Tuesday, has hit three homers in 163 at-bats after hitting one in 71 last year. He only has 13 extra base hits, but that will come in time. He still has an OPS of a solid .775, including a slugging percentage of .423. Last year, in 36 games in the Gulf Coast League, Lewis had 15 stolen bases, but only three in 18 games with the Kernels. However, he has 15 in 41 games in Iowa this season, and has only been caught once. It is just a matter of time before he gets promoted to High-A Fort Myers. I am biased, so I hope he at least is in Cedar Rapids until after next weekend since I will be in Appleton for the Saturday and Sunday games. I will say, I think he will be with the Miracle by my birthday (June 16).
 
1. Todd Van Steensel, RHP, Chattanooga
 
Some may think Lewis should be higher, but I chose Van Steensel since he has been so dominant with the Lookouts the last two-plus seasons. It has been a weird trip through the system for the Australian. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009, but he was released after a year. Van Steensel then signed with the Twins in 2011, but then was cut after a year. After a few years in the Australian Baseball League, Minnesota signed him back and he has been with the organization ever since. With the exception of a year in which he had an ERA of 3.46 with Fort Myers in 2016, he has been lights out. He has been especially great for Chattanooga. In eight games for the Lookouts in 2016, he allowed two runs in eight innings. Coming back with the Lookouts in 2017, he was even better. In 58.2 innings, he only allowed nine runs and struck out 59. His opponents batting average was just .207 with a WHIP of 1.14. Even though he was outstanding in 2017, he has been even more amazing in 2018. In 15 (29.2 innings) games, the 27-year-old is 5-1 with an ERA of 1.82. The opposing batting average against Van Steensel is just .152 and his WHIP is a microscopic 0.78, which are both career-bests. He should be in Rochester at some point this season, which would open the door for Andrew Vasquez to be promoted.
 
 
As always, feel free to tell me which Twins prospects you hope to see promoted soon.

After struggling his previous two seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization, Rortvedt is on fire to start 2018. He is finally coming into his own and becoming the catcher many thought he would become when drafted in the second round out of high school in 2016. After two subpar years, the great Tom Froemming and I were still high really high on Rortvedt. Still only 20, he has plenty of room for growth, and has the opportunity to be an All-Star catcher in the big leagues.
 
Rortvedt was more known for his offense coming out of Verona Area High School in Wisconsin, but his offense has struggled so far in his first two seasons, while his defense has been a real positive. As a senior in high school, he finished the season with an on-base percentage of .568 and a slugging percentage of .667. He was considered the top offensive high school catcher in the 2016 draft. So, it was just a matter of time before his offense came around. His defense, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise.
 
On defense, he threw out 36.2 percent of potential base stealers (30 of 83) last season. So far this year, he caught the only base runner trying to steal on him. His calling of the game is much-improved as well. In an article by Mike Berardino, he talked to Twins first base coach Jeff Smith.
 
“He receives the ball well; he’s got real soft hands,” said Smith, in the Berardino article. “He gives a good target and has made huge strides in his game calling and his ability to work with his pitching coach and his pitchers. Ben can really throw, too.”
http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Rortvedt2017c900-600x400.jpg
In his first two seasons, the best average for him was .250 in 13 games in Elizabethton in 2016. In his other two stops, he hit .203 with the GCL Twins and .224 in his first full season with Cedar Rapids in 2017. Rortvedt, hitting .471 through four games in 2018, is off to a really nice start, which is surprising considering he started out really slow in both of his previous years. I know it is really early, but I believe he has turned a corner. He has eight hits in 17 at-bats in his four games so far. In 2016, as a rookie, he started off hitting .179 (12-67) in his first 22. It was even worse in Cedar Rapids last season, hitting just .145 (16-110) in his first two months of the season.
 
But, to his credit, he was able to bounce back from both of those slow starts. In 2016, after starting out slow in both the Gulf Coast League and Elizabethton, Rortvedt hit .313 (10-32) in his final 11 games. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, he could not carry the positive momentum into 2017 from the ending to the previous season. However, he did have a decent ending. After the woeful beginning to the season, Rortvedt finished the season batting .224, but in his final three months, he hit .268. That does not seem great, but it is a definite improvement, especially in his first full season playing professional baseball. In those final three months, he hit all four of his homers on the year. He was also the second youngest player to play for the Kernels last year, only older than 2017 first overall pick Royce Lewis.
 
If Rortvedt keeps it up with the Kernels, he should be in the state of Florida by the month of June, maybe even sooner. It would also clear up a spot for David Banuelos to become the every day catcher. Banuelos came over to the Twins in an offseason trade from the Seattle Mariners for International bonus pool money. Fort Myers lacks a powerful lineup, so Rortvedt would come in and make the Miracle lineup a force. Mitchell Kranson could be due for a promotion as well, which would clear up a spot for the Verona native. With his defense being a major strength already for him, when the offense comes around, which it is starting to, the sky is the limit for the youngster.

After struggling his previous two seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization, Rortvedt is on fire to start 2018. He is finally coming into his own and becoming the catcher many thought he would become when drafted in the second round out of high school in 2016. After two subpar years, the great Tom Froemming and I were still high really high on Rortvedt. Still only 20, he has plenty of room for growth, and has the opportunity to be an All-Star catcher in the big leagues.
 
Rortvedt was more known for his offense coming out of Verona Area High School in Wisconsin, but his offense has struggled so far in his first two seasons, while his defense has been a real positive. As a senior in high school, he finished the season with an on-base percentage of .568 and a slugging percentage of .667. He was considered the top offensive high school catcher in the 2016 draft. So, it was just a matter of time before his offense came around. His defense, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise.
 
On defense, he threw out 36.2 percent of potential base stealers (30 of 83) last season. So far this year, he caught the only base runner trying to steal on him. His calling of the game is much-improved as well. In an article by Mike Berardino, he talked to Twins first base coach Jeff Smith.
 
“He receives the ball well; he’s got real soft hands,” said Smith, in the Berardino article. “He gives a good target and has made huge strides in his game calling and his ability to work with his pitching coach and his pitchers. Ben can really throw, too.”
http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Rortvedt2017c900-600x400.jpg
In his first two seasons, the best average for him was .250 in 13 games in Elizabethton in 2016. In his other two stops, he hit .203 with the GCL Twins and .224 in his first full season with Cedar Rapids in 2017. Rortvedt, hitting .471 through four games in 2018, is off to a really nice start, which is surprising considering he started out really slow in both of his previous years. I know it is really early, but I believe he has turned a corner. He has eight hits in 17 at-bats in his four games so far. In 2016, as a rookie, he started off hitting .179 (12-67) in his first 22. It was even worse in Cedar Rapids last season, hitting just .145 (16-110) in his first two months of the season.
 
But, to his credit, he was able to bounce back from both of those slow starts. In 2016, after starting out slow in both the Gulf Coast League and Elizabethton, Rortvedt hit .313 (10-32) in his final 11 games. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, he could not carry the positive momentum into 2017 from the ending to the previous season. However, he did have a decent ending. After the woeful beginning to the season, Rortvedt finished the season batting .224, but in his final three months, he hit .268. That does not seem great, but it is a definite improvement, especially in his first full season playing professional baseball. In those final three months, he hit all four of his homers on the year. He was also the second youngest player to play for the Kernels last year, only older than 2017 first overall pick Royce Lewis.
 
If Rortvedt keeps it up with the Kernels, he should be in the state of Florida by the month of June, maybe even sooner. It would also clear up a spot for David Banuelos to become the every day catcher. Banuelos came over to the Twins in an offseason trade from the Seattle Mariners for International bonus pool money. Fort Myers lacks a powerful lineup, so Rortvedt would come in and make the Miracle lineup a force. Mitchell Kranson could be due for a promotion as well, which would clear up a spot for the Verona native. With his defense being a major strength already for him, when the offense comes around, which it is starting to, the sky is the limit for the youngster.

After struggling his previous two seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization, Rortvedt is on fire to start 2018. He is finally coming into his own and becoming the catcher many thought he would become when drafted in the second round out of high school in 2016. After two subpar years, the great Tom Froemming and I were still high really high on Rortvedt. Still only 20, he has plenty of room for growth, and has the opportunity to be an All-Star catcher in the big leagues.
 
Rortvedt was more known for his offense coming out of Verona Area High School in Wisconsin, but his offense has struggled so far in his first two seasons, while his defense has been a real positive. As a senior in high school, he finished the season with an on-base percentage of .568 and a slugging percentage of .667. He was considered the top offensive high school catcher in the 2016 draft. So, it was just a matter of time before his offense came around. His defense, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise.
 
On defense, he threw out 36.2 percent of potential base stealers (30 of 83) last season. So far this year, he caught the only base runner trying to steal on him. His calling of the game is much-improved as well. In an article by Mike Berardino, he talked to Twins first base coach Jeff Smith.
 
“He receives the ball well; he’s got real soft hands,” said Smith, in the Berardino article. “He gives a good target and has made huge strides in his game calling and his ability to work with his pitching coach and his pitchers. Ben can really throw, too.”
http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Rortvedt2017c900-600x400.jpg
In his first two seasons, the best average for him was .250 in 13 games in Elizabethton in 2016. In his other two stops, he hit .203 with the GCL Twins and .224 in his first full season with Cedar Rapids in 2017. Rortvedt, hitting .471 through four games in 2018, is off to a really nice start, which is surprising considering he started out really slow in both of his previous years. I know it is really early, but I believe he has turned a corner. He has eight hits in 17 at-bats in his four games so far. In 2016, as a rookie, he started off hitting .179 (12-67) in his first 22. It was even worse in Cedar Rapids last season, hitting just .145 (16-110) in his first two months of the season.
 
But, to his credit, he was able to bounce back from both of those slow starts. In 2016, after starting out slow in both the Gulf Coast League and Elizabethton, Rortvedt hit .313 (10-32) in his final 11 games. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, he could not carry the positive momentum into 2017 from the ending to the previous season. However, he did have a decent ending. After the woeful beginning to the season, Rortvedt finished the season batting .224, but in his final three months, he hit .268. That does not seem great, but it is a definite improvement, especially in his first full season playing professional baseball. In those final three months, he hit all four of his homers on the year. He was also the second youngest player to play for the Kernels last year, only older than 2017 first overall pick Royce Lewis.
 
If Rortvedt keeps it up with the Kernels, he should be in the state of Florida by the month of June, maybe even sooner. It would also clear up a spot for David Banuelos to become the every day catcher. Banuelos came over to the Twins in an offseason trade from the Seattle Mariners for International bonus pool money. Fort Myers lacks a powerful lineup, so Rortvedt would come in and make the Miracle lineup a force. Mitchell Kranson could be due for a promotion as well, which would clear up a spot for the Verona native. With his defense being a major strength already for him, when the offense comes around, which it is starting to, the sky is the limit for the youngster.

After struggling his previous two seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization, Rortvedt is on fire to start 2018. He is finally coming into his own and becoming the catcher many thought he would become when drafted in the second round out of high school in 2016. After two subpar years, the great Tom Froemming and I were still high really high on Rortvedt. Still only 20, he has plenty of room for growth, and has the opportunity to be an All-Star catcher in the big leagues.
 
Rortvedt was more known for his offense coming out of Verona Area High School in Wisconsin, but his offense has struggled so far in his first two seasons, while his defense has been a real positive. As a senior in high school, he finished the season with an on-base percentage of .568 and a slugging percentage of .667. He was considered the top offensive high school catcher in the 2016 draft. So, it was just a matter of time before his offense came around. His defense, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise.
 
On defense, he threw out 36.2 percent of potential base stealers (30 of 83) last season. So far this year, he caught the only base runner trying to steal on him. His calling of the game is much-improved as well. In an article by Mike Berardino, he talked to Twins first base coach Jeff Smith.
 
“He receives the ball well; he’s got real soft hands,” said Smith, in the Berardino article. “He gives a good target and has made huge strides in his game calling and his ability to work with his pitching coach and his pitchers. Ben can really throw, too.”
http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Rortvedt2017c900-600x400.jpg
In his first two seasons, the best average for him was .250 in 13 games in Elizabethton in 2016. In his other two stops, he hit .203 with the GCL Twins and .224 in his first full season with Cedar Rapids in 2017. Rortvedt, hitting .471 through four games in 2018, is off to a really nice start, which is surprising considering he started out really slow in both of his previous years. I know it is really early, but I believe he has turned a corner. He has eight hits in 17 at-bats in his four games so far. In 2016, as a rookie, he started off hitting .179 (12-67) in his first 22. It was even worse in Cedar Rapids last season, hitting just .145 (16-110) in his first two months of the season.
 
But, to his credit, he was able to bounce back from both of those slow starts. In 2016, after starting out slow in both the Gulf Coast League and Elizabethton, Rortvedt hit .313 (10-32) in his final 11 games. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, he could not carry the positive momentum into 2017 from the ending to the previous season. However, he did have a decent ending. After the woeful beginning to the season, Rortvedt finished the season batting .224, but in his final three months, he hit .268. That does not seem great, but it is a definite improvement, especially in his first full season playing professional baseball. In those final three months, he hit all four of his homers on the year. He was also the second youngest player to play for the Kernels last year, only older than 2017 first overall pick Royce Lewis.
 
If Rortvedt keeps it up with the Kernels, he should be in the state of Florida by the month of June, maybe even sooner. It would also clear up a spot for David Banuelos to become the every day catcher. Banuelos came over to the Twins in an offseason trade from the Seattle Mariners for International bonus pool money. Fort Myers lacks a powerful lineup, so Rortvedt would come in and make the Miracle lineup a force. Mitchell Kranson could be due for a promotion as well, which would clear up a spot for the Verona native. With his defense being a major strength already for him, when the offense comes around, which it is starting to, the sky is the limit for the youngster.

After struggling his previous two seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization, Rortvedt is on fire to start 2018. He is finally coming into his own and becoming the catcher many thought he would become when drafted in the second round out of high school in 2016. After two subpar years, the great Tom Froemming and I were still high really high on Rortvedt. Still only 20, he has plenty of room for growth, and has the opportunity to be an All-Star catcher in the big leagues.
 
Rortvedt was more known for his offense coming out of Verona Area High School in Wisconsin, but his offense has struggled so far in his first two seasons, while his defense has been a real positive. As a senior in high school, he finished the season with an on-base percentage of .568 and a slugging percentage of .667. He was considered the top offensive high school catcher in the 2016 draft. So, it was just a matter of time before his offense came around. His defense, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise.
 
On defense, he threw out 36.2 percent of potential base stealers (30 of 83) last season. So far this year, he caught the only base runner trying to steal on him. His calling of the game is much-improved as well. In an article by Mike Berardino, he talked to Twins first base coach Jeff Smith.
 
“He receives the ball well; he’s got real soft hands,” said Smith, in the Berardino article. “He gives a good target and has made huge strides in his game calling and his ability to work with his pitching coach and his pitchers. Ben can really throw, too.”
http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Rortvedt2017c900-600x400.jpg
In his first two seasons, the best average for him was .250 in 13 games in Elizabethton in 2016. In his other two stops, he hit .203 with the GCL Twins and .224 in his first full season with Cedar Rapids in 2017. Rortvedt, hitting .471 through four games in 2018, is off to a really nice start, which is surprising considering he started out really slow in both of his previous years. I know it is really early, but I believe he has turned a corner. He has eight hits in 17 at-bats in his four games so far. In 2016, as a rookie, he started off hitting .179 (12-67) in his first 22. It was even worse in Cedar Rapids last season, hitting just .145 (16-110) in his first two months of the season.
 
But, to his credit, he was able to bounce back from both of those slow starts. In 2016, after starting out slow in both the Gulf Coast League and Elizabethton, Rortvedt hit .313 (10-32) in his final 11 games. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, he could not carry the positive momentum into 2017 from the ending to the previous season. However, he did have a decent ending. After the woeful beginning to the season, Rortvedt finished the season batting .224, but in his final three months, he hit .268. That does not seem great, but it is a definite improvement, especially in his first full season playing professional baseball. In those final three months, he hit all four of his homers on the year. He was also the second youngest player to play for the Kernels last year, only older than 2017 first overall pick Royce Lewis.
 
If Rortvedt keeps it up with the Kernels, he should be in the state of Florida by the month of June, maybe even sooner. It would also clear up a spot for David Banuelos to become the every day catcher. Banuelos came over to the Twins in an offseason trade from the Seattle Mariners for International bonus pool money. Fort Myers lacks a powerful lineup, so Rortvedt would come in and make the Miracle lineup a force. Mitchell Kranson could be due for a promotion as well, which would clear up a spot for the Verona native. With his defense being a major strength already for him, when the offense comes around, which it is starting to, the sky is the limit for the youngster.

After struggling his previous two seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization, Rortvedt is on fire to start 2018. He is finally coming into his own and becoming the catcher many thought he would become when drafted in the second round out of high school in 2016. After two subpar years, the great Tom Froemming and I were still high really high on Rortvedt. Still only 20, he has plenty of room for growth, and has the opportunity to be an All-Star catcher in the big leagues.
 
Rortvedt was more known for his offense coming out of Verona Area High School in Wisconsin, but his offense has struggled so far in his first two seasons, while his defense has been a real positive. As a senior in high school, he finished the season with an on-base percentage of .568 and a slugging percentage of .667. He was considered the top offensive high school catcher in the 2016 draft. So, it was just a matter of time before his offense came around. His defense, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise.
 
On defense, he threw out 36.2 percent of potential base stealers (30 of 83) last season. So far this year, he caught the only base runner trying to steal on him. His calling of the game is much-improved as well. In an article by Mike Berardino, he talked to Twins first base coach Jeff Smith.
 
“He receives the ball well; he’s got real soft hands,” said Smith, in the Berardino article. “He gives a good target and has made huge strides in his game calling and his ability to work with his pitching coach and his pitchers. Ben can really throw, too.”
http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Rortvedt2017c900-600x400.jpg
In his first two seasons, the best average for him was .250 in 13 games in Elizabethton in 2016. In his other two stops, he hit .203 with the GCL Twins and .224 in his first full season with Cedar Rapids in 2017. Rortvedt, hitting .471 through four games in 2018, is off to a really nice start, which is surprising considering he started out really slow in both of his previous years. I know it is really early, but I believe he has turned a corner. He has eight hits in 17 at-bats in his four games so far. In 2016, as a rookie, he started off hitting .179 (12-67) in his first 22. It was even worse in Cedar Rapids last season, hitting just .145 (16-110) in his first two months of the season.
 
But, to his credit, he was able to bounce back from both of those slow starts. In 2016, after starting out slow in both the Gulf Coast League and Elizabethton, Rortvedt hit .313 (10-32) in his final 11 games. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, he could not carry the positive momentum into 2017 from the ending to the previous season. However, he did have a decent ending. After the woeful beginning to the season, Rortvedt finished the season batting .224, but in his final three months, he hit .268. That does not seem great, but it is a definite improvement, especially in his first full season playing professional baseball. In those final three months, he hit all four of his homers on the year. He was also the second youngest player to play for the Kernels last year, only older than 2017 first overall pick Royce Lewis.
 
If Rortvedt keeps it up with the Kernels, he should be in the state of Florida by the month of June, maybe even sooner. It would also clear up a spot for David Banuelos to become the every day catcher. Banuelos came over to the Twins in an offseason trade from the Seattle Mariners for International bonus pool money. Fort Myers lacks a powerful lineup, so Rortvedt would come in and make the Miracle lineup a force. Mitchell Kranson could be due for a promotion as well, which would clear up a spot for the Verona native. With his defense being a major strength already for him, when the offense comes around, which it is starting to, the sky is the limit for the youngster.

Yesterday, I started to unveil my top 10 prospects for the Minnesota Twins. In case you did not see that article, here is the rundown...
 
10. Akil Baddoo, OF
9. Blayne Enlow, SP
8. Brusdar Graterol, SP
7. Alex Kirilloff, OF
6. Brent Rooker, OF/1B
 
Here is the rest of the list...
 
5. Wander Javier, SS (2017 team: Elizabethton)
 
Last season was Javier’s first taste of pro baseball in the United States after being a big money International Free Agency signing in 2015. In his first season in the United States, Javier batted .299 with four homers and added 13 doubles. Javier got better down the stretch as well, hitting .368 in the final 13 games of the season. The Twins have an abundance of good shortstop prospects, and Javier is one of them. He will have to improve defensively, as he had a fielding percentage of just .893. It is still early, though, and it will be interesting to see him play on his first full-season team.
 
4. Nick Gordon, SS (2017: Chattanooga)
 
Gordon, another one of the really good shortstop prospects the Twins have, started off extremely well, hitting .308 in the first three months of the season. For his efforts, he was invited to the Future’s Game at the All-Star break. But from there on, he struggled mightily. Gordon ended up batting .270, but showed some pop in his bat, hitting nine homers and a combined 46 extra base hits. Still just 22 years old, he has plenty to work on, including against left-handed pitchers, where he hit only .174. Also, there are questions about whether he can stick at shortstop long-term. He might end up taking over for Brian Dozier at second base if he walks next offseason. Gordon will head back to Chattanooga, looking to correct things he struggled on last year, and if he does well, he could be a September call-up.
 
3. Stephen Gonsalves, SP (2017: Chattanooga, Rochester)
 
Gonsalves started on the DL and missed more than a month. When he did come back, though, he picked up right where he left off. In 2016, Gonsalves was 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA in 13 starts. He made 15 more starts in Tennessee after coming back from the DL and was 8-3 with a 2.68 ERA. Despite having an ERA of nearly a run higher in 2017, he actually had a lower WHIP (1.08 in 2016 compared to 1.03 in 2017). He was promoted in August to Rochester where he an up-and-down five appearances (four starts). In his four starts, he gave up 10 earned runs in 22 innings (4.09 ERA), but he had three nice starts and one that killed his ERA. In a start in Louisville, he gave up six runs in three innings. In the other three starts, he gave up just four runs in 19 innings (1.89 ERA). But in his final appearance, he was roughed up in relief, surrendering four runs in 0.2 innings, which ballooned his final Rochester ERA to 5.56. The southpaw will begin the season in New York, but I think he’ll be in Minneapolis sometime in 2018, maybe even before the All-Star break.
 
2. Fernando Romero (2017 team: Chattanooga)
 
Romero has the most potential to become an ace for the Twins. That became even more evident after his strong spring training performance, throwing eight shutout innings with a microscopic 0.13 WHIP. He struck out eight in his eight innings, as well. The 23-year-old had a great season up until the final 14 innings of the season. That should not be too surprising since he hadn’t surpassed 90 innings in any one season up until 2017, where he logged 125. Overall, Romero finished 11-9 a season ago with an ERA of 3.53 and a 1.35 WHIP, the highest it has been since 2014. His walks per nine innings was also 3.2, and will need to reduce that a bit. Romero will return to Chattanooga for the start of the season, but could pitch in Rochester or even Minneapolis at some point this season. Hopefully he can keep the train rolling from his strong spring training into Chattanooga.
 
1. Royce Lewis, SS (2017 teams: GCL Twins, Cedar Rapids)
 
Last season’s top overall pick, Lewis had a strong start to the season with the GCL Twins before struggling down the stretch. Despite falling to .271 with the GCL Twins, his OPS was still .803, helped by an OBP of .390. The sluggish finish to his stint in the GCL did not keep the Twins from moving him up, skipping Elizabethton and moving all the way up to Cedar Rapids. With the Kernels, he started with a bang, going 4-for-5 in his debut. Overall, in 18 games with the Kernels, he hit .296 with an OPS of .757. With a whole offseason to train for the Kernels, I expect big things from last year’s top overall pick. He’ll start the season in Cedar Rapids, but it would not surprise me to see him in high-A Fort Myers if he plays well in Iowa.
 
So, there are my top 10. As always, feel free to give your opinion...

We are close to the beginning of the baseball season, so it is time to release my top 10 prospects for the Minnesota Twins. There are so many prospects who could make a huge jump and knock on the door of the top 10. After losing 2016 first round pick Alex Kirilloff for the whole 2017 season, he will be back. This is a deep prospect list and many could eventually make the big leagues.
 
10) Akil Baddoo, OF (2017 teams: GCL, Elizabethton)
 
Before Terry Ryan was fired, Baddoo was in his last draft class. He is one of two on this list from this class (Kirilloff). After being ranked outside the top 20 Twins prospects, Baddoo had a huge 2017 campaign. After having a batting average of .267 with the GCL Twins, he was promoted to Elizabethton, and he took off. While in Tennessee, he hit .357 and had an OPS of an incredible 1.057. He had 45 hits with Elizabethton in 126 at-bats, and nearly half of his hits (20) were of the extra base variety. In addition to those stats, he had 27 walks and 19 strikeouts with Elizabethton. All that while being more than two years younger than his competition. If he can replicate his play from 2017, he could knock on the door of the top five. The sky is the limit for the 19-year-old.
 
9) Blayne Enlow, SP (2017 team: GCL Twins)
 
After being talked about as a possible first round pick last year, Enlow fell to the third round due to signability, where the Twins grabbed him. There was plenty of buzz surrounding him heading into his debut last summer, and he did not disappoint. In 20.1 innings, Enlow had an ERA of 1.33 and held opponents to a .141 batting average and an OPS of just .433. He also struck out 8.4 per nine, and had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.75. Enlow gave up just 4.4 hits per nine and had a WHIP of 0.69. Enlow has a curveball that is the best in the organization and if he can add a bit of velocity, he will sky rocket up prospect lists. The 19-year-old will likely start in Elizabethton, but will be in Cedar Rapids by the end of the year.
 
8. Brusdar Graterol, SP (2017 teams: GCL, Elizabethton)
 
Graterol missed the 2016 season due to Tommy John surgery, but when he came back in 2017, he picked up right where he left off. In five games with the GCL Twins, he was 2-0 with an ERA of 1.40 and a WHIP of just 0.72 in 19.1 innings. When he was promoted to Elizabethton, he struggled a bit (especially compared to his showing in the GCL). In his 20.2 innings in Tennessee, he had an ERA of 3.92 and a WHIP of 1.21, but did have a strikeout ratio of 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. With the tougher competition in the Appy League, his control took a dip. After walking just four in 19.1 innings for the GCL Twins, he walked nine in 20.2 innings for Elizabethton. After throwing 85-87 when he signed out of Venezuela, he reaches triple digits now. If he can improve his off-speed pitches to complement his heater, he can be an ace with the Twins.
 
7. Alex Kirilloff (2017: missed season)
 
Kirilloff had a very solid 2016, hitting .306 with seven homers and 33 RBI in 55 games. Not bad for being thrown to Elizabethton after being drafted out of high school. He will likely be a corner outfielder with the big club, but can play center when needed. The reason he was drafted so high is his power. The 20-year-old has a chance to hit 25-30 homers when he develops and ends up in Minneapolis. After playing in Tennessee in 2016, Kirilloff will start in Cedar Rapids on what will most likely be a loaded Kernels lineup.
 
6. Brent Rooker, OF/1B (2017 teams: Elizabethton, Fort Myers)
 
Rooker was selected in the first round by the Twins, and started in Elizabethton and mashed. He started out a bit slow, but finished hitting .282 and an OPS of .952. Of his 24 hits with the E’Town Twins, Rooker crushed seven homers and exactly half of his hits were extra bases. After he was promoted to high-A Fort Myers, he kept smashing. With the Miracle, he hit .280 with 11 more bombs. He had close to the same stats in Florida as he had in Tennessee. The only major dip was in slugging, where he slugged .552 after slugging .588 in Elizabethton. But still, .552 is extremely good. He still strikes out too much, but that is fine when he hits homers at the rate he does. Rooker has the potential to hit 40 homers in the big leagues. The former Mississippi State standout will start in Chattanooga, and if dominates there, I would not be surprised if he ends up in Minneapolis by the end of the season.

We are close to the beginning of the baseball season, so it is time to release my top 10 prospects for the Minnesota Twins. There are so many prospects who could make a huge jump and knock on the door of the top 10. After losing 2016 first round pick Alex Kirilloff for the whole 2017 season, he will be back. This is a deep prospect list and many could eventually make the big leagues.
 
10) Akil Baddoo, OF (2017 teams: GCL, Elizabethton)
 
Before Terry Ryan was fired, Baddoo was in his last draft class. He is one of two on this list from this class (Kirilloff). After being ranked outside the top 20 Twins prospects, Baddoo had a huge 2017 campaign. After having a batting average of .267 with the GCL Twins, he was promoted to Elizabethton, and he took off. While in Tennessee, he hit .357 and had an OPS of an incredible 1.057. He had 45 hits with Elizabethton in 126 at-bats, and nearly half of his hits (20) were of the extra base variety. In addition to those stats, he had 27 walks and 19 strikeouts with Elizabethton. All that while being more than two years younger than his competition. If he can replicate his play from 2017, he could knock on the door of the top five. The sky is the limit for the 19-year-old.
 
9) Blayne Enlow, SP (2017 team: GCL Twins)
 
After being talked about as a possible first round pick last year, Enlow fell to the third round due to signability, where the Twins grabbed him. There was plenty of buzz surrounding him heading into his debut last summer, and he did not disappoint. In 20.1 innings, Enlow had an ERA of 1.33 and held opponents to a .141 batting average and an OPS of just .433. He also struck out 8.4 per nine, and had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.75. Enlow gave up just 4.4 hits per nine and had a WHIP of 0.69. Enlow has a curveball that is the best in the organization and if he can add a bit of velocity, he will sky rocket up prospect lists. The 19-year-old will likely start in Elizabethton, but will be in Cedar Rapids by the end of the year.
 
8. Brusdar Graterol, SP (2017 teams: GCL, Elizabethton)
 
Graterol missed the 2016 season due to Tommy John surgery, but when he came back in 2017, he picked up right where he left off. In five games with the GCL Twins, he was 2-0 with an ERA of 1.40 and a WHIP of just 0.72 in 19.1 innings. When he was promoted to Elizabethton, he struggled a bit (especially compared to his showing in the GCL). In his 20.2 innings in Tennessee, he had an ERA of 3.92 and a WHIP of 1.21, but did have a strikeout ratio of 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. With the tougher competition in the Appy League, his control took a dip. After walking just four in 19.1 innings for the GCL Twins, he walked nine in 20.2 innings for Elizabethton. After throwing 85-87 when he signed out of Venezuela, he reaches triple digits now. If he can improve his off-speed pitches to complement his heater, he can be an ace with the Twins.
 
7. Alex Kirilloff (2017: missed season)
 
Kirilloff had a very solid 2016, hitting .306 with seven homers and 33 RBI in 55 games. Not bad for being thrown to Elizabethton after being drafted out of high school. He will likely be a corner outfielder with the big club, but can play center when needed. The reason he was drafted so high is his power. The 20-year-old has a chance to hit 25-30 homers when he develops and ends up in Minneapolis. After playing in Tennessee in 2016, Kirilloff will start in Cedar Rapids on what will most likely be a loaded Kernels lineup.
 
6. Brent Rooker, OF/1B (2017 teams: Elizabethton, Fort Myers)
 
Rooker was selected in the first round by the Twins, and started in Elizabethton and mashed. He started out a bit slow, but finished hitting .282 and an OPS of .952. Of his 24 hits with the E’Town Twins, Rooker crushed seven homers and exactly half of his hits were extra bases. After he was promoted to high-A Fort Myers, he kept smashing. With the Miracle, he hit .280 with 11 more bombs. He had close to the same stats in Florida as he had in Tennessee. The only major dip was in slugging, where he slugged .552 after slugging .588 in Elizabethton. But still, .552 is extremely good. He still strikes out too much, but that is fine when he hits homers at the rate he does. Rooker has the potential to hit 40 homers in the big leagues. The former Mississippi State standout will start in Chattanooga, and if dominates there, I would not be surprised if he ends up in Minneapolis by the end of the season.

We are close to the beginning of the baseball season, so it is time to release my top 10 prospects for the Minnesota Twins. There are so many prospects who could make a huge jump and knock on the door of the top 10. After losing 2016 first round pick Alex Kirilloff for the whole 2017 season, he will be back. This is a deep prospect list and many could eventually make the big leagues.
 
10) Akil Baddoo, OF (2017 teams: GCL, Elizabethton)
 
Before Terry Ryan was fired, Baddoo was in his last draft class. He is one of two on this list from this class (Kirilloff). After being ranked outside the top 20 Twins prospects, Baddoo had a huge 2017 campaign. After having a batting average of .267 with the GCL Twins, he was promoted to Elizabethton, and he took off. While in Tennessee, he hit .357 and had an OPS of an incredible 1.057. He had 45 hits with Elizabethton in 126 at-bats, and nearly half of his hits (20) were of the extra base variety. In addition to those stats, he had 27 walks and 19 strikeouts with Elizabethton. All that while being more than two years younger than his competition. If he can replicate his play from 2017, he could knock on the door of the top five. The sky is the limit for the 19-year-old.
 
9) Blayne Enlow, SP (2017 team: GCL Twins)
 
After being talked about as a possible first round pick last year, Enlow fell to the third round due to signability, where the Twins grabbed him. There was plenty of buzz surrounding him heading into his debut last summer, and he did not disappoint. In 20.1 innings, Enlow had an ERA of 1.33 and held opponents to a .141 batting average and an OPS of just .433. He also struck out 8.4 per nine, and had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.75. Enlow gave up just 4.4 hits per nine and had a WHIP of 0.69. Enlow has a curveball that is the best in the organization and if he can add a bit of velocity, he will sky rocket up prospect lists. The 19-year-old will likely start in Elizabethton, but will be in Cedar Rapids by the end of the year.
 
8. Brusdar Graterol, SP (2017 teams: GCL, Elizabethton)
 
Graterol missed the 2016 season due to Tommy John surgery, but when he came back in 2017, he picked up right where he left off. In five games with the GCL Twins, he was 2-0 with an ERA of 1.40 and a WHIP of just 0.72 in 19.1 innings. When he was promoted to Elizabethton, he struggled a bit (especially compared to his showing in the GCL). In his 20.2 innings in Tennessee, he had an ERA of 3.92 and a WHIP of 1.21, but did have a strikeout ratio of 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. With the tougher competition in the Appy League, his control took a dip. After walking just four in 19.1 innings for the GCL Twins, he walked nine in 20.2 innings for Elizabethton. After throwing 85-87 when he signed out of Venezuela, he reaches triple digits now. If he can improve his off-speed pitches to complement his heater, he can be an ace with the Twins.
 
7. Alex Kirilloff (2017: missed season)
 
Kirilloff had a very solid 2016, hitting .306 with seven homers and 33 RBI in 55 games. Not bad for being thrown to Elizabethton after being drafted out of high school. He will likely be a corner outfielder with the big club, but can play center when needed. The reason he was drafted so high is his power. The 20-year-old has a chance to hit 25-30 homers when he develops and ends up in Minneapolis. After playing in Tennessee in 2016, Kirilloff will start in Cedar Rapids on what will most likely be a loaded Kernels lineup.
 
6. Brent Rooker, OF/1B (2017 teams: Elizabethton, Fort Myers)
 
Rooker was selected in the first round by the Twins, and started in Elizabethton and mashed. He started out a bit slow, but finished hitting .282 and an OPS of .952. Of his 24 hits with the E’Town Twins, Rooker crushed seven homers and exactly half of his hits were extra bases. After he was promoted to high-A Fort Myers, he kept smashing. With the Miracle, he hit .280 with 11 more bombs. He had close to the same stats in Florida as he had in Tennessee. The only major dip was in slugging, where he slugged .552 after slugging .588 in Elizabethton. But still, .552 is extremely good. He still strikes out too much, but that is fine when he hits homers at the rate he does. Rooker has the potential to hit 40 homers in the big leagues. The former Mississippi State standout will start in Chattanooga, and if dominates there, I would not be surprised if he ends up in Minneapolis by the end of the season.