Minnesota Twins 2020-21 International Signing Preview

Image credit: Minnesota Twins

This is part of Ben Badler’s 2020-21 international signing day preview. You can also find his international big board of 2020 prospects here.

Outfielders have been the big targets of the Twins’ most recent international signing classes, led by Emmanuel Rodriguez ($2.5 million) and Malfrin Sosa ($900,000) from the Dominican Republic in 2019, Venezuelan center fielder Misael Urbina in 2018 and Venezuelan outfielder Carlos Aguiar ($1 million) in 2017.

For the upcoming 2020-21 signing period that opens on Jan. 15, the Twins’ class will focus around infielders. It starts with Danny De Andrade, a Venezuelan shortstop who is one of the top players in the class and has been training in the Dominican Republic with Jaime Ramos. De Andrade has a short, quick stroke from the right side and has shown home run power to his pull side in games. Some scouts think De Andrade will outgrow shortstop and end up at third base, but he has shown good defensive instincts and body control in the infield.

Another shortstop, Freddy La Flor, is also expected to sign with the Twins, with La Flor likely signing for a tick over $1 million. He’s a smaller player (5-foot-9, 150 pounds) with plus speed and a strong arm for his size. La Flor has a quick bat from both sides of the plate, though his future power may be limited. He trains with Carlos Guzman.

The next biggest signing for the Twins was thought to be Seung-Yeop Na, an 18-year-old high school third baseman in South Korea with a tall, lean frame (6-foot-3, 185 pounds) with a chance to hit and hit for power from a fluid, compact swing and all-fields approach. However, the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization drafted him in the second round (11th overall) of the draft on Sept. 21 and signed him to keep him in the KBO.

Beyond De Andrade and La Flor, the Twins are expected to add two more shortstops to their class in the $300,000 to $400,000 range with Reynaldo Madrigal and Luis Rodriguez, both from the Dominican Republic.

Venezuelan outfielder Andres Centeno and Dominican shortstop Santos Martinez are also Twins targets. Another player expected to join their class is Venezuelan righthander Jose Olivares, a converted outfielder who became eligible to sign in the 2019 class but has picked up steam since moving to the mound and gaining velocity to touch the mid-90s.

Venezuelan catcher Deiner Contreras is another player expected to join Minnesota’s signing class.