2017 Minnesota Twins Top 10 Prospects Insider
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Talent Infusion: Draft Report Card
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SEASON IN A SENTENCE: The Twins had a winning record in 2015 and aimed to compete in 2016, but lost their first nine games and wound up losing 103 games, nine more than any club in the majors and the most losses since the franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961.
HIGH POINT: Second baseman Brian Dozier became just the second Twin to hit 40 homers in a season, joining Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew on the list. From Sept. 2-6, he homered in five straight games, including three Sept. 5 against the Royals. Of course the Twins still lost that game 11-5, but Dozier wound up setting the single-season record for home runs by a second baseman.
LOW POINT: It never got much better after Minnesota lost its first nine games, scoring just 14 runs over that span while being shut out twice. But it did get worst, including a 13-game losing streak to end August that included a four-game sweep by the Royals in which the Twins were out-scored 25-6.
NOTABLE ROOKIES: Five Twins rookies got significant playing time, with varying degrees of success. Byron Buxton used a retooled approach to hit nine of his 10 home runs in September, salvaging an otherwise disturbing season. Fellow outfielder Max Kepler had a three-homer game against the Indians and ranked third on the team with 17 home runs, while Jorge Polanco hit .282/.332/.424 while manning shortstop for most of the final two months, with his bat ahead of his glove. However, righthander Jose Berrios (3-7, 8.02) struggled mightily with his command, while Korean import Byung Ho Park flopped at DH (.191/.275/.409) before being sidelined by a wrist injury.
KEY TRANSACTIONS: In mid-July, ownership fired general manager Terry Ryan, who served from Sept. 1994 through Sept. 2007 and again from Nov. 2011-2016. After the regular season, the Twins hired Derek Falvey as chief baseball officer, after he most recently had served as director of baseball operations for the Indians. Interim GM Rob Antony swung minor deals in July, acquiring lefthander Adalberto Mejia for all-star Eduardo Nunez, then trading righthanders Ricky Nolasco and Alex Meyer for lefthander Hector Santiago.
DOWN ON THE FARM: Minnesota’s domestic affiliates posted a .540 winning percentage, good for fifth in the game, even though just two made their playoffs. Twins farmhands peppered the minor league leaderboards, led by lefthander Steven Gonsalves, who ranked among the top 15 in wins (13), ERA (2.06), WHIP (0.82) and opponents average (.179). Second baseman Luis Arraez hit .347 for low Class A Cedar Rapids, fourth in the minors, while Daniel Palka hit 34 homers between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Rochester, also good for fourth.
OPENING DAY PAYROLL: $104.6 million (18th)
| BEST TOOLS | |
| Best Hitter for Average | Luis Arraez |
| Best Power Hitter | Adam Brett Walker |
| Best Strike-Zone Discipline | Luis Arraez |
| Fastest Baserunner | Zach Granite |
| Best Athlete | LaMonte Wade |
| Best Fastball | Fernando Romero |
| Best Curveball | Sam Clay |
| Best Slider | Tyler Jay |
| Best Changeup | Stephen Gonsalves |
| Best Control | Adalberto Mejia |
| Best Defensive Catcher | Stuart Turner |
| Best Defensive Infielder | Engelb Vielma |
| Best Infield Arm | Engelb Vielma |
| Best Defensive Outfielder | Zach Granite |
| Best Outfield Arm | Tanner English |
| PROJECTED 2020 LINEUP | |
| Catcher | Mitch Garver |
| First Base | Kennys Vargas |
| Second Base | Brian Dozier |
| Third Base | Travis Blankenhorn |
| Shortstop | Nick Gordon |
| Left Field | Max Kepler |
| Center Field | Byron Buxton |
| Right Field | Alex Kirilloff |
| Designated Hitter | Miguel Sano |
| No. 1 Starter | Jose Berrios |
| No. 2 Starter | Stephen Gonsalves |
| No. 3 Starter | Fernando Romero |
| No. 4 Starter | Tyler Jay |
| No. 5 Starter | Kohl Stewart |
| Closer | Nick Burdi |
| TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org |
| 2007 | Matt Garza, rhp | Brewers |
| 2008 | Nick Blackburn, rhp | Did not play |
| 2009 | Aaron Hicks, of | Yankees |
| 2010 | Aaron Hicks, of | Yankees |
| 2011 | Kyle Gibson, rhp | Twins |
| 2012 | Miguel Sano, 3b | Twins |
| 2013 | Miguel Sano, 3b | Twins |
| 2014 | Byron Buxton, of | Twins |
| 2015 | Byron Buxton, of | Twins |
| 2016 | Byron Buxton, of | Twins |
| TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org |
| 2007 | Ben Revere, of | Nationals |
| 2008 | Aaron Hicks, of | Yankees |
| 2009 | Kyle Gibson, rhp | Twins |
| 2010 | Alex Wimmers, rhp | Twins |
| 2011 | Levi Michael, ss | Twins |
| 2012 | Byron Buxton, of | Twins |
| 2013 | Kohl Stewart, rhp | Twins |
| 2014 | Nick Gordon, ss | Twins |
| 2015 | Tyler Jay, lhp | Twins |
| 2016 | Alex Kirilloff, of | Twins |
| LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY | |
| Byron Buxton, 2012 | $6,000,000 |
| Joe Mauer, 2001 | $5,150,000 |
| Kohl Stewart, 2013 | $4,544,400 |
| Wander Javier, 2015 | $4,000,000 |
| Tyler Jay, 2015 | $3,889,500 |
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