Yunior Severino Stats & Scouting Report

AB	489
AVG	.254
OBP	.342
SLG	.434
HR	21

Full name Yunior Severino
Born 10/03/1999 in Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 189 / Bats: S / Throws: R

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 40/Medium

Track Record: Severino was supposed to help the Braves win a World Series by this point. He was one of the numerous players, topped by Kevin Maitan, who were the vaunted Braves’ international class that was declared free agents because of the Braves’ rules violations. After missing out on signing Shohei Ohtani, the Twins’ consolation prize was they had enough bonus pool remaining to sign Severino for $2.5 million. After hitting 20 home runs in his first four seasons combined, he hit 19 in 2022. In 2023, he led the minors with 35 homers.

Scouting Report: When he signed with the Twins, Severino was a relatively live-bodied middle infielder with modest power. But there was an expectation that he would eventually get much bigger and stronger. Officially, he’s listed at 189 pounds, but that undersells his weight by at least 30 pounds. That transformation happened in 2022 and 2023. He now has some of the best raw power in the Twins organization. When he stays back and gets his full body into a pitch, he hits some truly majestic home runs that clear batter’s eyes and concourses. But he’s also become a slow-twitch first baseman who is stretched to be a below-average third baseman. His hands offer reminders that he once could play shortstop, but his range is now quite limited.

The Future: Severino was added to the 40-man roster in november 2023. There’s a chance that his power will help him carve out a useful career as a regular, but a number of scouts see him as a bad-ball hitter whose swing is too grooved to get to that power consistently in the majors. He should start 2024 at Triple-A St. Paul, but could get big league at-bats in 2024 if injuries thin the Twins’ corner infield depth.

Scouting Grades Hit: 30 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Field: 40 | Arm: 50
TRACK RECORD: Severino originally signed with the Braves in 2016 but was declared a free agent as part of Atlanta's punishment for international signing violations. He then signed with the Twins for $2.5 million. Severino held his own offensively his first few seasons but hit a bump in 2019 at low Class A Cedar Rapids, when his strikeout rate ballooned and a thumb injury cost him several months.

SCOUTING REPORT: Severino fits the mold of an offensive-oriented second baseman who brings power from both sides of the plate. Most of his power comes from the left side, but Severino actually prefers hitting from the right side. The Twins will have him continue as a switch-hitter for now. He'll need to control the strike zone better moving forward to profile as a regular. Severino isn't a great defender with below-average speed and range, but he has a chance to be adequate at second base if he continues to improve his footwork. He has more than enough arm.

THE FUTURE: Severino's strength and power potential give him a chance to rise. He'll open 2021 at one of the Class A levels.
Track Record: Severino landed in the Twins’ lap in late 2017 after their pursuit of Kevin Maitan fell short. The Twins paid Severino $2.5 million after the former Braves prospect was declared a free agent because of the team’s rules violations. A huge fan of Robinson Cano, Severino has shown little interest in returning to short or trying third base since moving to second with the Braves.

Scouting Report: Blessed with strong wrists and forearms, Severino generates tremendous bat speed that suggests power potential in the 20-25 homer range. A switch-hitter, he grades out as a future plus hitter with plus raw power. His arm is above-average but his range and footwork must improve. His below-average speed limits his range, but his reads off the bat have improved and his hands are good enough to stay up the middle.

The Future: If he doesn’t open 2019 in the low Class A Midwest League, Severino should get there once the spring thaw arrives.
When the Braves' 2016 international class was largely declared as free agents for violations of MLB signing rules, the Twins moved aggressively to sign Kevin Maitan. When Maitan opted to sign with the Angels, the Twins quickly followed up with an excellent Plan B, as they signed Severino for $2.5 million, which is $600,000 more than he received in his original contract with the Braves and $300,000 more than Maitan received from the Angels. A shortstop as an amateur, Severino moved to second base immediately upon signing with the Braves. His below-average speed limits his range at second and he's working on reading the ball off the bat, but his hands and arm work well enough to remain at second. He projects as an offensive second baseman with plus power potential and plenty of bat speed thanks to strong hands and wrists. Unlike many teenagers, Severino has present strength, as he drives the ball even when he's just working to make two-strike contact. The switch-hitting Severino was able to handle the aggressive move to the Gulf Coast League in his pro debut. He'll likely make his Twins debut with Rookie-level Elizabethton in 2018.

Minor League Top Prospects

When the Braves smashed through their international bonus pool in 2016, one of their prized signings was Severino, who got $1.9 million. After getting his feet wet in the Dominican Summer League, Severino jumped to the GCL and showed a high-risk, high-reward offensive profile. Severino is wiry strong, generating power with strong hands and quick wrists that produce fast, whippy bat speed. A switch-hitter who looks more comfortable from the left side, he makes hard contact when the moving parts in his swing are synced up and on time, with a chance for plus or better power. That timing isn't always there, though, and Severino tends to overswing, which led to a 30 percent strikeout rate. If he can learn to trust his hands and put more balls in play, he could be a power-hitting second baseman. Severino signed as a shortstop but the Braves quickly moved him to second base. He's a below-average runner who will need to clean up his footwork.

Scouting Reports

TRACK RECORD: Severino originally signed with the Braves in 2016 but was declared a free agent as part of Atlanta's punishment for international signing violations. He then signed with the Twins for $2.5 million. Severino held his own offensively his first few seasons but hit a bump in 2019 at low Class A Cedar Rapids, when his strikeout rate ballooned and a thumb injury cost him several months.

SCOUTING REPORT: Severino fits the mold of an offensive-oriented second baseman who brings power from both sides of the plate. Most of his power comes from the left side, but Severino actually prefers hitting from the right side. The Twins will have him continue as a switch-hitter for now. He'll need to control the strike zone better moving forward to profile as a regular. Severino isn't a great defender with below-average speed and range, but he has a chance to be adequate at second base if he continues to improve his footwork. He has more than enough arm.

THE FUTURE: Severino's strength and power potential give him a chance to rise. He'll open 2021 at one of the Class A levels.
TRACK RECORD: Severino originally signed with the Braves in 2016 but was declared a free agent as part of Atlanta's punishment for international signing violations. He then signed with the Twins for $2.5 million. Severino held his own offensively his first few seasons but hit a bump in 2019 at low Class A Cedar Rapids, when his strikeout rate ballooned and a thumb injury cost him several months.

SCOUTING REPORT: Severino fits the mold of an offensive-oriented second baseman who brings power from both sides of the plate. Most of his power comes from the left side, but Severino actually prefers hitting from the right side. The Twins will have him continue as a switch-hitter for now. He'll need to control the strike zone better moving forward to profile as a regular. Severino isn't a great defender with below-average speed and range, but he has a chance to be adequate at second base if he continues to improve his footwork. He has more than enough arm.

THE FUTURE: Severino's strength and power potential give him a chance to rise. He'll open 2021 at one of the Class A levels.