Keoni Cavaco

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #22 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Cavaco blew up late in the draft process during his senior spring season in high school, when he showed some of the most exciting raw tools in the class. The Twins signed him for $4.05 million as the 13th overall pick, but he has struggled mightily in his brief two years in the lower minors.
  
  Scouting Report: The one silver lining for Cavaco at this point is his 2021 season showed flashes of the promise he showed in high school. In June and July, he hit .292/.376/.427 between the FCL and Low-A Fort Myers. Consistency in his approach and consistency in being on the field has been more of a challenge. He missed time with a concussion and hamstring issues this year, and he is behind the curve from an approach and mechanical standpoint. Cavaco has plus raw power, but he can’t access it regularly thanks to poor direction in his lower half and bat path, as well as a chase rate that has been described as unsustainable. He drew mixed reviews for his defensive ability, with some scouts saying he looked better than expected at shortstop and others believing the game still speeds up on him.
  
  The Future: There are still significant holes in Cavaco’s game, but there’s no denying his toolset is among the most intriguing in the system.
  
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #16 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Cavaco was far from a household name in the leadup to the 2019 draft but rocketed up draft boards after showing big raw tools his senior year at San Diego-area power Eastlake High. The Twins drafted him 13th overall and signed him for $4.05 million. Cavaco made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and struggled mightily, batting .172 with one home run and 35 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances. His only 2020 action came at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cavaco has a lot of work to do. He has significant swing-and-miss concerns, particularly against velocity, and the Twins have made a wholesale effort to improve his swing path and approach. Cavaco struggles to land square and keep his hips in line, a basic tenet of hitting that is concerning he hasn't mastered yet. Cavaco has plus bat speed and plus raw power, but he needs massive refinement to get to the point where they are usable in games. Cavaco was drafted as a shortstop and played there in his pro debut, but he projects to move off the position and be an above-average third baseman with a plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: The canceled 2020 minor league season hurts, but being able to focus on foundational elements in a low-pressure environment could prove beneficial for Cavaco. He may see low Class A in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #10 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Cavaco was barely on teams' watch lists heading into his senior year, but he rocketed into first-round consideration by demonstrating massive tools. The Twins weren't the only team with firstround grades on him but there were other teams who were not on Cavaco at all because of his lack of track record and swing-and-miss tendencies. Those concerns were heightened by one of the worst pro debuts of any recent first-round pick. He struck out in every one of his 35 two-strike counts in his pro debut.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: While Cavaco played shortstop in his pro debut, he projects as a plus (or even plus-plus) defender at third base with the agility, range, hands and plus arm to make both routine and exceptional plays. He also posts excellent exit velocities, plus bat speed and 70 raw power. He's even an above-average runner. None of that will matter unless he can generate more consistent quality contact. Cavaco struggles to cover the outer half of the plate and is prone to stepping in the bucket.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cavaco has a lot of work to do to reach his ceiling of an above-average regular. Unlike most prep first rounders, he's unlikely to be ready for low Class A to start 2020.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #31 prospect in 2019 draft
  One of the biggest pop-up players in the 2019 class, Cavaco wasn't seen much over last year's summer showcase circuit, though a few scouts saw him in the fall and were intrigued by his exciting toolset. Cavaco started turning heads quickly this spring, gaining the attention of crosscheckers and scouting directors thanks to a projectable, 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame and plus power. Cavaco has a chance to reach 70-grade power as he continues to fill out, but big power isn't his only selling point. He's currently an above-average runner with above-average defensive ability at third base, and he has plus arm strength as well. With above-average or better tools across the board, Cavaco offers plenty of upside, but his hitting ability is his biggest question mark and where teams are most split. Without an extensive track record, scouts are unsure how his bat will consistently play against high-level pitching. He has plus bat speed, but scouts have seen him swing and miss against average high school pitching a bit too much, and he currently doesn't have the best plate coverage on the outer half. Cavaco has the tools to go as high as the back of the first round, but it might take a team with multiple Day 1 picks or a more optimistic report on his future hit tool to draft him that high given his lack of track record. He is committed to San Diego State.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #13 prospect in 2019
  Cavaco was the biggest riser in the 2019 draft. He didn't get seen much on the showcase circuit the previous summer, but he skyrocketed up draft boards when top crosscheckers and scouting directors went in to see him in the spring. He vaulted all the way to the Twins with the 13th overall pick and signed for $4.05 million, but he had a rough pro debut as he struggled to put the ball in play. Cavaco has a projectable frame and loud tools, starting with his bat speed and plus raw power that could tick up once he gets stronger. His speed and arm strength are both above-average tools as well, and after playing third base in high school, he played shortstop in the GCL. Third base is likely his long-term position though, and he's a potentially above-average defender there. Cavaco has a lot of tools, but his hitting ability drew a lot of question marks coming out of high school and that risk is magnified after his GCL showing. Cavaco expanded the strike zone too frequently and had a high swing-and-miss rate, with scouts especially concerned about his ability to handle pitches on the outer third.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Cavaco blew up late in the draft process during his senior spring season in high school, when he showed some of the most exciting raw tools in the class. The Twins signed him for $4.05 million as the 13th overall pick, but he has struggled mightily in his brief two years in the lower minors.
  
  Scouting Report: The one silver lining for Cavaco at this point is his 2021 season showed flashes of the promise he showed in high school. In June and July, he hit .292/.376/.427 between the FCL and Low-A Fort Myers. Consistency in his approach and consistency in being on the field has been more of a challenge. He missed time with a concussion and hamstring issues this year, and he is behind the curve from an approach and mechanical standpoint. Cavaco has plus raw power, but he can’t access it regularly thanks to poor direction in his lower half and bat path, as well as a chase rate that has been described as unsustainable. He drew mixed reviews for his defensive ability, with some scouts saying he looked better than expected at shortstop and others believing the game still speeds up on him.
  
  The Future: There are still significant holes in Cavaco’s game, but there’s no denying his toolset is among the most intriguing in the system.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cavaco was far from a household name in the leadup to the 2019 draft but rocketed up draft boards after showing big raw tools his senior year at San Diego-area power Eastlake High. The Twins drafted him 13th overall and signed him for $4.05 million. Cavaco made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and struggled mightily, batting .172 with one home run and 35 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances. His only 2020 action came at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cavaco has a lot of work to do. He has significant swing-and-miss concerns, particularly against velocity, and the Twins have made a wholesale effort to improve his swing path and approach. Cavaco struggles to land square and keep his hips in line, a basic tenet of hitting that is concerning he hasn't mastered yet. Cavaco has plus bat speed and plus raw power, but he needs massive refinement to get to the point where they are usable in games. Cavaco was drafted as a shortstop and played there in his pro debut, but he projects to move off the position and be an above-average third baseman with a plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: The canceled 2020 minor league season hurts, but being able to focus on foundational elements in a low-pressure environment could prove beneficial for Cavaco. He may see low Class A in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cavaco was far from a household name in the leadup to the 2019 draft but rocketed up draft boards after showing big raw tools his senior year at San Diego-area power Eastlake High. The Twins drafted him 13th overall and signed him for $4.05 million. Cavaco made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and struggled mightily, batting .172 with one home run and 35 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances. His only 2020 action came at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cavaco has a lot of work to do. He has significant swing-and-miss concerns, particularly against velocity, and the Twins have made a wholesale effort to improve his swing path and approach. Cavaco struggles to land square and keep his hips in line, a basic tenet of hitting that is concerning he hasn't mastered yet. Cavaco has plus bat speed and plus raw power, but he needs massive refinement to get to the point where they are usable in games. Cavaco was drafted as a shortstop and played there in his pro debut, but he projects to move off the position and be an above-average third baseman with a plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: The canceled 2020 minor league season hurts, but being able to focus on foundational elements in a low-pressure environment could prove beneficial for Cavaco. He may see low Class A in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cavaco was far from a household name in the leadup to the 2019 draft but rocketed up draft boards after showing big raw tools his senior year at San Diego-area power Eastlake High. The Twins drafted him 13th overall and signed him for $4.05 million. Cavaco made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and struggled mightily, batting .172 with one home run and 35 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances. His only 2020 action came at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cavaco has a lot of work to do. He has significant swing-and-miss concerns, particularly against velocity, and the Twins have made a wholesale effort to improve his swing path and approach. Cavaco struggles to land square and keep his hips in line, a basic tenet of hitting that is concerning he hasn't mastered yet. Cavaco has plus bat speed and plus raw power, but he needs massive refinement to get to the point where they are usable in games. Cavaco was drafted as a shortstop and played there in his pro debut, but he projects to move off the position and be an above-average third baseman with a plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: The canceled 2020 minor league season hurts, but being able to focus on foundational elements in a low-pressure environment could prove beneficial for Cavaco. He may see low Class A in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cavaco was barely on teams’ watch lists heading into his senior year, but he rocketed into first-round consideration by demonstrating massive tools. The Twins weren’t the only team with firstround grades on him but there were other teams who were not on Cavaco at all because of his lack of track record and swing-and-miss tendencies. Those concerns were heightened by one of the worst pro debuts of any recent first-round pick. He struck out in every one of his 35 two-strike counts in his pro debut.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: While Cavaco played shortstop in his pro debut, he projects as a plus (or even plus-plus) defender at third base with the agility, range, hands and plus arm to make both routine and exceptional plays. He also posts excellent exit velocities, plus bat speed and 70 raw power. He’s even an above-average runner. None of that will matter unless he can generate more consistent quality contact. Cavaco struggles to cover the outer half of the plate and is prone to stepping in the bucket.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cavaco has a lot of work to do to reach his ceiling of an above-average regular. Unlike most prep first rounders, he’s unlikely to be ready for low Class A to start 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cavaco was barely on teams' watch lists heading into his senior year, but he rocketed into first-round consideration by demonstrating massive tools. The Twins weren't the only team with firstround grades on him but there were other teams who were not on Cavaco at all because of his lack of track record and swing-and-miss tendencies. Those concerns were heightened by one of the worst pro debuts of any recent first-round pick. He struck out in every one of his 35 two-strike counts in his pro debut.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: While Cavaco played shortstop in his pro debut, he projects as a plus (or even plus-plus) defender at third base with the agility, range, hands and plus arm to make both routine and exceptional plays. He also posts excellent exit velocities, plus bat speed and 70 raw power. He's even an above-average runner. None of that will matter unless he can generate more consistent quality contact. Cavaco struggles to cover the outer half of the plate and is prone to stepping in the bucket.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cavaco has a lot of work to do to reach his ceiling of an above-average regular. Unlike most prep first rounders, he's unlikely to be ready for low Class A to start 2020.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Cavaco was the biggest riser in the 2019 draft. He didn't get seen much on the showcase circuit the previous summer, but he skyrocketed up draft boards when top crosscheckers and scouting directors went in to see him in the spring. He vaulted all the way to the Twins with the 13th overall pick and signed for $4.05 million, but he had a rough pro debut as he struggled to put the ball in play. Cavaco has a projectable frame and loud tools, starting with his bat speed and plus raw power that could tick up once he gets stronger. His speed and arm strength are both above-average tools as well, and after playing third base in high school, he played shortstop in the GCL. Third base is likely his long-term position though, and he's a potentially above-average defender there. Cavaco has a lot of tools, but his hitting ability drew a lot of question marks coming out of high school and that risk is magnified after his GCL showing. Cavaco expanded the strike zone too frequently and had a high swing-and-miss rate, with scouts especially concerned about his ability to handle pitches on the outer third.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  One of the biggest pop-up players in the 2019 class, Cavaco wasn't seen much over last year's summer showcase circuit, though a few scouts saw him in the fall and were intrigued by his exciting toolset. Cavaco started turning heads quickly this spring, gaining the attention of crosscheckers and scouting directors thanks to a projectable, 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame and plus power. Cavaco has a chance to reach 70-grade power as he continues to fill out, but big power isn't his only selling point. He's currently an above-average runner with above-average defensive ability at third base, and he has plus arm strength as well. With above-average or better tools across the board, Cavaco offers plenty of upside, but his hitting ability is his biggest question mark and where teams are most split. Without an extensive track record, scouts are unsure how his bat will consistently play against high-level pitching. He has plus bat speed, but scouts have seen him swing and miss against average high school pitching a bit too much, and he currently doesn't have the best plate coverage on the outer half. Cavaco has the tools to go as high as the back of the first round, but it might take a team with multiple Day 1 picks or a more optimistic report on his future hit tool to draft him that high given his lack of track record. He is committed to San Diego State.