Alex Kirilloff

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #1 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 70. Power: 60. Run: 40. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The 15th overall selection out of high school in the 2016 draft, Kirilloff was thought of as one of the better pure high school hitters in the class as the son of a hitting coach. Four years later, he is one of the better pure hitting prospects in baseball. While wrist injuries and Tommy John surgery have slowed down Kirilloff’s development, the Twins still trusted him to make his big league debut in the 2020 playoff despite not having a minor league season. He became the first Minnesota player to make his major league debut in the postseason and also collected his first hit.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kirilloff’s bat is easily his most advanced and exceptional tool. While some players might have better pure bat speed, Kirilloff combines a balanced lefthanded swing, strong hands, quick wrists and the ability to make adjustments mechanically and mentally at an elite level. Where some players have to hit to their strengths, Kirilloff has the rare ability to succeed as a hitter in a variety of ways—using the opposite field, turning on the inner half with authority, handling both velocity and breaking stuff and also understanding the strike zone. Because of those traits, and the fact that he plays with such a low pulse, he has a chance to become a plus-plus hitter. Kirilloff is more contact over power, but that’s a testament to his hitting prowess rather than his lack of pop. Kirilloff’s exit velocities in Double-A in 2019 were above-average for the league—around 91 mph—and if he is able to increase his launch angle—which was below-average in 2019—he could have plus power. His power was sapped due to wrist injuries in 2019, but at full health he has all the tools to be a middle-of-the-order masher. He has shown the ability to homer to the pull side and the opposite field. Kirilloff is a below-average runner, but he is smart on the bases and moves around well enough to handle an outfield corner. In the past he’s shown plus arm strength, but most see his arm as average now. While he could be a perfectly adequate defender in the outfield, some scouts think he has above-average defensive potential at first base, which might be is best fit if he continues to bulk up with age.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Twins have plenty of confidence in Kirilloff’s bat, and he is advanced enough to become a regular fixture in the big league lineup at some point in 2021. Where he plays defensively will depend more on what Minnesota has around him than Kirilloff himself, but his bat is more than enough to profile well in left field, right field or at first base.
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #2 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Kirilloff won the MVP award in the Appalachian League in his pro debut but then sat out the 2017 season after having Tommy John surgery. When he returned in 2018, he hit .348 at two Class A stops and led the minors with 71 extra-base hits. His 2019 encore was limited to 94 games at Double-A Pensacola by a pair of wrist injuries. He was slated to go to the Arizona Fall League but Pensacola made a run through the Southern League playoffs and the Twins opted to have him sit out the AFL campaign as a result.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kirilloff is the definition of a pure hitter. He combines a balanced lefthanded swing with strong hands and quick wrists to produce line drives to all fields. Given those characteristics and his strong frame, he projects as a double-plus hitter with above-average power. His talent may have been obscured somewhat in 2019 because of his wrist injury, which obviously plays a key role in how much impact a hitter can make. Scouts saw a few nits to pick, specifically a hole on the outer half of the plate that pitchers exploited and some off-kilter mechanics that may have disrupted his rhythm. He's an average defender and runner with an average arm and should be serviceable in right field, but the bulk of his value will come at the plate. As he matures, he could begin to slow down and see most of his time at first base, where he made 35 starts in 2019.
  
  THE FUTURE: Despite an inconsistent turn at Double-A, Kirilloff is likely to head to Triple-A Rochester in 2020. There, he will get the ultimate boost of the livelier baseballs that caused an offensive explosion at the level in 2019.
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #2 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: It’s hard to imagine a better return season after Tommy John surgery than the one Kirilloff enjoyed in 2018. Inflammation in his throwing elbow ultimately led to season-ending surgery in March 2017, but he used that time to pack on 20 pounds of muscle.
  
  Scouting Report: It didn’t take Kirilloff long to outgrow Max Kepler comparisons and head straight for Christian Yelich territory. He shows a consistently smooth lefthanded swing with excellent balance, strong wrists and quick hands. He could stand to walk more but doesn’t chase much and shows outstanding barrel awareness. He drives the ball to center and left-center field with ease and authority. His hit tool and power potential are both plus if not double-plus. When pitchers started pounding Kirilloff up-and-in more after his promotion to high Class A Fort Myers in late June, he made adjustments and started turning on more inside mistakes. An average runner who moves well for his size, he has improved his reads and routes and should be able to stay in right field, though his arm, which is a tick below-average might be better suited for left.
  
  The Future: Kirilloff should head to Double-A Pensacola in 2019. He should be pushing for a big league look by midseason 2020 at the latest.
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #3 prospect in 2018
  Drafted 15th overall in 2016 and signed away from Liberty with a bonus of $2,817,100, the home-schooled prodigy raked his way to MVP honors in the Appalachian League after skipping the GCL in his first pro summer. Shut down late in the year with inflammation in his throwing elbow, he rehabbed all offseason but still had to have Tommy John surgery last March that wiped out his 2017 season. Drawing comparisons to such corner outfielders as Max Kepler and Christian Yelich, Kirilloff has strong wrists, quick hands, excellent balance and a smooth lefthanded swing. The year off gave him a chance to strengthen his lower half and pack on close to 30 pounds of muscle, which should enable him to get to his 15- to 20-homer potential sooner. Using an all-fields approach, he has an advanced understanding of the strike zone, outstanding barrel awareness and the almost effortless ability to hit for average. An average runner who has played center field but likely fits better in right, Kirilloff also shows soft hands at first base. That could be a fallback option down the road and a way to take stress off his elbow post-surgery. Kirilloff figures to open 2018 in extended spring training before heading up to the Midwest League, where it shouldn't take him long to make up for lost time.
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #3 prospect in 2017
  The Twins drafted Kirilloff 15th overall in 2016 signed him away from Liberty--where he had been committed since he was a freshman in high school--with a $2,817,100 bonus. They thought the preseason first-team All-American was advanced enough to eschew the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, where most of his fellow prep draftees went, and start at Rookie-level Elizabethton. That assignment proved prudent. Kirilloff went on to win MVP honors in the Appalachian League before being shut down late in the season with elbow inflammation. Though only 18, Kirilloff showed a college hitter's polish in his pro debut. With strong, quick wrists and a fluid, balanced lefthanded swing, Kirilloff hits the ball to all fields and has the chance to hit for both average and plus power at higher levels. Reminding some in the Twins organization of big league outfielder Max Kepler, Kirilloff could develop 20-25 home-run power, as he matures physically and learns to pull the ball more. While he played some center field in high school and is a solid-average runner, he projects best in a corner. His plus arm plays in right field, and that's likely where he'll spend the bulk of his time in the minors. Kirilloff is also an adept first baseman with good hands and could end up there as a fallback option. The Twins envision Kirilloff as a power-hitting corner outfielder or first baseman--though he has a long way to go to reach that ceiling. Riding a strong pro debut, he will play at low Class A Cedar Rapids in 2017.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #15 prospect in 2016 draft
  Kirilloff is one of the better quick-twitch athletes in this year's class. The son of a hitting coach, Kirilloff's offensive game is built around his exciting power potential. He is a lefthanded hitter with plus raw power. Coming from the Pittsburgh area, Kirilloff's lack of exposure to high-level pitching showed on in the showcase circuit, as he often chased pitches outside of the strike zone and struggled to consistently time quality pitching. As some of that rust shook off, Kirilloff began to emerge offensively, with strong performances towards the end of the summer. He also played first base for much of the showcase circuit, but he has solid-average raw speed and has played center field for his high school team this spring. Kirilloff has a exceptional arm, which earns plus or better grades from scouts, making him a natural fit for right field if he moves off center field at the next level. There are some mechanical concerns with his swing, as he bars his lead arm, but he's shown the ability to drive the ball to the opposite field at times. Kirilloff is deeply religious, and he committed to Liberty as an underclassmen. His games this spring have drawn hoards of evaluators, including general managers.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Southern League #12 prospect in 2019
  A right wrist injury kept Kirilloff out for the entire month of April and cost him two weeks in June. As a result, Southern League observers didn’t see him at his best. Kirilloff didn’t hit his stride until late in the season. He hit .303/.353/.467 in his final 30 games and then connected for homers in four straight games in a first-round playoff series against Biloxi. Kirilloff has deep power to his pull side and can barrel the ball to all fields. His ability to hit different pitch types gives him the potential to be a plus hitter with plus power. Kirilloff played nearly as many games at first base as in right field for Pensacola, and given his mature frame and lack of twitchiness, first base could be his future home.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #3 prospect in 2018
  A promotion to high Class A Fort Myers in mid-July kept Kirilloff from winning the MWL batting title, but his .330 average and his .607 slugging percentage were the best by any player in the league with 250 or more plate appearances. He showed no ill effects from the year-long layoff he endured recovering from Tommy John surgery. Kirilloff has a chance to be a special hitter. He was the MWL's best power hitter, but he also proved tough to strike out with whiffs in roughly 17 percent of plate appearances. Kirilloff's opposite-field power impressed managers around the league. Nine of his 13 home runs in the MWL went to left field. The combination of barrel control, raw power and athleticism give him the chance to be a plus hitter with plus power. He should be an average defender in right field.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #2 prospect in 2018
  The Twins drafted Kirilloff 15th overall in 2016 and got a hint of his potential when he won MVP honors in the Rookie-level Appalachian League in his debut. Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2017 season. After squashing the competition in the Midwest League, Kirilloff continued his rampage in the FSL. He hit for average and power at both stops, showcasing supreme barrel control to all fields. In one game against Jupiter, Kirilloff sprayed one double to right field, one to center and one to left and hosed a runner at third base. He hits balls with authority to all sectors, and has the athleticism and throwing arm to be a steady defender in right field. As he showed in 2018, Kirilloff projects as a player who can anchor a lineup.
• 
  Ranked American League #6 prospect in 2016
  The 15th overall pick in June, Kirilloff has a strong, muscular frame, with wide hips and shoulders. He has a fluid swing with loose wrists, sound strike-zone awareness, and he covers the plate well. He has a chance to develop a plus hit tool, though his approach may take some fine tuning. Kirilloff is an aggressive hitter, content with hunting for early-count mistakes, which he'll find less often at higher levels. He has plus raw power and plus arm strength. He is a slightly above-average runner, but projects to slow down as he matures and adds strength. Kirilloff fits a classic corner-outfield profile.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #18 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #31 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #15 prospect in 2019

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 70. Power: 60. Run: 40. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The 15th overall selection out of high school in the 2016 draft, Kirilloff was thought of as one of the better pure high school hitters in the class as the son of a hitting coach. Four years later, he is one of the better pure hitting prospects in baseball. While wrist injuries and Tommy John surgery have slowed down Kirilloff’s development, the Twins still trusted him to make his big league debut in the 2020 playoff despite not having a minor league season. He became the first Minnesota player to make his major league debut in the postseason and also collected his first hit.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kirilloff’s bat is easily his most advanced and exceptional tool. While some players might have better pure bat speed, Kirilloff combines a balanced lefthanded swing, strong hands, quick wrists and the ability to make adjustments mechanically and mentally at an elite level. Where some players have to hit to their strengths, Kirilloff has the rare ability to succeed as a hitter in a variety of ways—using the opposite field, turning on the inner half with authority, handling both velocity and breaking stuff and also understanding the strike zone. Because of those traits, and the fact that he plays with such a low pulse, he has a chance to become a plus-plus hitter. Kirilloff is more contact over power, but that’s a testament to his hitting prowess rather than his lack of pop. Kirilloff’s exit velocities in Double-A in 2019 were above-average for the league—around 91 mph—and if he is able to increase his launch angle—which was below-average in 2019—he could have plus power. His power was sapped due to wrist injuries in 2019, but at full health he has all the tools to be a middle-of-the-order masher. He has shown the ability to homer to the pull side and the opposite field. Kirilloff is a below-average runner, but he is smart on the bases and moves around well enough to handle an outfield corner. In the past he’s shown plus arm strength, but most see his arm as average now. While he could be a perfectly adequate defender in the outfield, some scouts think he has above-average defensive potential at first base, which might be is best fit if he continues to bulk up with age.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Twins have plenty of confidence in Kirilloff’s bat, and he is advanced enough to become a regular fixture in the big league lineup at some point in 2021. Where he plays defensively will depend more on what Minnesota has around him than Kirilloff himself, but his bat is more than enough to profile well in left field, right field or at first base.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 70. Power: 60. Run: 40. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The 15th overall selection out of high school in the 2016 draft, Kirilloff was thought of as one of the better pure high school hitters in the class as the son of a hitting coach. Four years later, he is one of the better pure hitting prospects in baseball. While wrist injuries and Tommy John surgery have slowed down Kirilloff’s development, the Twins still trusted him to make his big league debut in the 2020 playoff despite not having a minor league season. He became the first Minnesota player to make his major league debut in the postseason and also collected his first hit.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kirilloff’s bat is easily his most advanced and exceptional tool. While some players might have better pure bat speed, Kirilloff combines a balanced lefthanded swing, strong hands, quick wrists and the ability to make adjustments mechanically and mentally at an elite level. Where some players have to hit to their strengths, Kirilloff has the rare ability to succeed as a hitter in a variety of ways—using the opposite field, turning on the inner half with authority, handling both velocity and breaking stuff and also understanding the strike zone. Because of those traits, and the fact that he plays with such a low pulse, he has a chance to become a plus-plus hitter. Kirilloff is more contact over power, but that’s a testament to his hitting prowess rather than his lack of pop. Kirilloff’s exit velocities in Double-A in 2019 were above-average for the league—around 91 mph—and if he is able to increase his launch angle—which was below-average in 2019—he could have plus power. His power was sapped due to wrist injuries in 2019, but at full health he has all the tools to be a middle-of-the-order masher. He has shown the ability to homer to the pull side and the opposite field. Kirilloff is a below-average runner, but he is smart on the bases and moves around well enough to handle an outfield corner. In the past he’s shown plus arm strength, but most see his arm as average now. While he could be a perfectly adequate defender in the outfield, some scouts think he has above-average defensive potential at first base, which might be is best fit if he continues to bulk up with age.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Twins have plenty of confidence in Kirilloff’s bat, and he is advanced enough to become a regular fixture in the big league lineup at some point in 2021. Where he plays defensively will depend more on what Minnesota has around him than Kirilloff himself, but his bat is more than enough to profile well in left field, right field or at first base.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Kirilloff won the MVP award in the Appalachian League in his pro debut but then sat out the 2017 season after having Tommy John surgery. When he returned in 2018, he hit .348 at two Class A stops and led the minors with 71 extra-base hits. His 2019 encore was limited to 94 games at Double-A Pensacola by a pair of wrist injuries. He was slated to go to the Arizona Fall League but Pensacola made a run through the Southern League playoffs and the Twins opted to have him sit out the AFL campaign as a result.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kirilloff is the definition of a pure hitter. He combines a balanced lefthanded swing with strong hands and quick wrists to produce line drives to all fields. Given those characteristics and his strong frame, he projects as a double-plus hitter with above-average power. His talent may have been obscured somewhat in 2019 because of his wrist injury, which obviously plays a key role in how much impact a hitter can make. Scouts saw a few nits to pick, specifically a hole on the outer half of the plate that pitchers exploited and some off-kilter mechanics that may have disrupted his rhythm. He’s an average defender and runner with an average arm and should be serviceable in right field, but the bulk of his value will come at the plate. As he matures, he could begin to slow down and see most of his time at first base, where he made 35 starts in 2019.
  
  THE FUTURE: Despite an inconsistent turn at Double-A, Kirilloff is likely to head to Triple-A Rochester in 2020. There, he will get the ultimate boost of the livelier baseballs that caused an offensive explosion at the level in 2019.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Kirilloff won the MVP award in the Appalachian League in his pro debut but then sat out the 2017 season after having Tommy John surgery. When he returned in 2018, he hit .348 at two Class A stops and led the minors with 71 extra-base hits. His 2019 encore was limited to 94 games at Double-A Pensacola by a pair of wrist injuries. He was slated to go to the Arizona Fall League but Pensacola made a run through the Southern League playoffs and the Twins opted to have him sit out the AFL campaign as a result.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kirilloff is the definition of a pure hitter. He combines a balanced lefthanded swing with strong hands and quick wrists to produce line drives to all fields. Given those characteristics and his strong frame, he projects as a double-plus hitter with above-average power. His talent may have been obscured somewhat in 2019 because of his wrist injury, which obviously plays a key role in how much impact a hitter can make. Scouts saw a few nits to pick, specifically a hole on the outer half of the plate that pitchers exploited and some off-kilter mechanics that may have disrupted his rhythm. He's an average defender and runner with an average arm and should be serviceable in right field, but the bulk of his value will come at the plate. As he matures, he could begin to slow down and see most of his time at first base, where he made 35 starts in 2019.
  
  THE FUTURE: Despite an inconsistent turn at Double-A, Kirilloff is likely to head to Triple-A Rochester in 2020. There, he will get the ultimate boost of the livelier baseballs that caused an offensive explosion at the level in 2019.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  A right wrist injury kept Kirilloff out for the entire month of April and cost him two weeks in June. As a result, Southern League observers didn’t see him at his best. Kirilloff didn’t hit his stride until late in the season. He hit .303/.353/.467 in his final 30 games and then connected for homers in four straight games in a first-round playoff series against Biloxi. Kirilloff has deep power to his pull side and can barrel the ball to all fields. His ability to hit different pitch types gives him the potential to be a plus hitter with plus power. Kirilloff played nearly as many games at first base as in right field for Pensacola, and given his mature frame and lack of twitchiness, first base could be his future home.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Kirilloff lacks the defensive tools or athleticism of Lewis, but he may be an even better hitter. After missing a year recovering from Tommy John surgery, Kirilloff has shown an all-fields approach with plenty of power to left center field that earned him a spot in the Futures Game. Kirilloff will likely be limited to left field, but he has a chance to be a impact bat who hits for average and power.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Drafted 15th overall in 2016 and signed away from Liberty with a bonus of $2,817,100, the home-schooled prodigy raked his way to MVP honors in the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2016, his first pro summer. Shut down late in the year with inflammation in his throwing elbow, he rehabbed all offseason but still had to have Tommy John surgery in March 2017 that wiped out his season. Scouting Report: Kirilloff has strong wrists, quick hands, excellent balance and a smooth lefthanded swing. The year off gave him a chance to strengthen his lower half and pack on close to 30 pounds of muscle, which should enable him to get to his 15- to 20-homer potential sooner. Using an all-fields approach, he has an advanced understanding of the strike zone, outstanding barrel awareness and the almost effortless ability to hit for average. An average runner who has played center field but likely fits better in right, Kirilloff also shows soft hands at first base. That could be a fallback option down the road and a way to take stress off his elbow. The Future: Kirilloff figures to open 2018 in extended spring training before heading to the low Class A Cedar Rapids.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Twins drafted Kirilloff 15th overall in 2016 signed him away from Liberty with a $2,817,100 bonus. They thought the preseason first-team All-American was advanced enough to eschew the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and start at Rookie-level Elizabethton. That assignment proved prudent. Kirilloff went on to win MVP honors in the Appalachian League before being shut down late in the season with elbow inflammation. Scouting Report: Though only 18, Kirilloff showed a college hitter's polish in his pro debut. With strong, quick wrists and a fluid, balanced lefthanded swing, Kirilloff hits the ball to all fields and has the chance to hit for both average and plus power at higher levels. Reminding some in the Twins organization of big league outfielder Max Kepler, Kirilloff could develop 20-25 home-run power. While he played some center field in high school and is a solid-average runner, he projects best in a corner. His plus arm plays in right, and that's likely where he'll spend the bulk of his time in the minors. Kirilloff is also an adept first baseman and could end up there as a fallback option.
  
  The Future: The Twins envision Kirilloff as a power-hitting corner outfielder or first baseman--though he has a long way to go to reach that ceiling. Riding a strong pro debut, he will play at low Class A Cedar Rapids in 2017.