Minnesota Twins Prospects: 2024 Midseason Top 30 Update
The Twins have one of the better offenses in the American League, and homegrown players like Royce Lewis, Jose Miranda, Ryan Jeffers and Trevor Larnach are a big part of that. Minnesota’s ability to produce young starting pitchers has filled some needed holes in the rotation. Simeon Woods Richardson added velocity and transformed himself into a useful No. 5 starter while Bailey Ober has been a solid No. 4.
Brooks Lee was called up at the start of July to fill-in when Royce Lewis was injured. This isn’t the best system in the game, but it remains a relatively deep one with a nice mix of pitchers and potential impact bats.
Baseball America subscribers can see the full updated Twins Top 30 here. Notable risers, fallers, new additions and injury updates are below.
Notable Risers
Zebby Matthews, RHP
Matthews has improved both his stuff and his control in 2024. He walks no one, and he may one day touch triple digits with his fastball. The Twins have done a good job of successfully developing day two and three draft picks on the mound, and Matthews is one of the best examples.
Luke Keaschall, 2B/OF
Keaschall’s hitting ability has impressed scouts since the moment he took the field in pro ball. A sore elbow has sometimes limited him in the field and forced him to DH at times, but he has some defensive versatility as he bounces between second base and center field.
Brandon Winokur, SS
There were questions about how well Winokur could handle a jump to the Florida State League this year. He’s been better than expected, showing power, some developing ability as a hitter and even playing shortstop everyday as a surprisingly agile 6-foot-6 defender.
DaShawn Keirsey, OF
It may not lead to a spot in Minnesota with Byron Buxton healthy and Manuel Margot, Austin Martin and Willi Castro all capable of playing center, but Keirsey has made strides at the plate to go with his always impressive defense and speed.
Rayne Doncon, 3B
Doncon was acquired in last offseason’s trade that brought Manuel Margot to the Twins and salary relief and shortstop Noah Miller to the Dodgers. Doncon’s power has been impressive. He’s bounced around the infield, but his defensive home remains a question.
Dameury Pena, 2B
Pena has found the Florida Complex League to be just as easy as the Dominican Summer League. As of early July he was a career .360 hitter with nearly twice as many walks as strikeouts. Pena isn’t a great athlete and will have to work to stay at second base, but if he can keep hitting like this, it won’t matter.
Notable Fallers
Matt Canterino, RHP
Canterino has yet to officially throw a pitch this year, so his inclusion here seems harsh. But Canterino has been shut down with a recurrence of shoulder soreness, which means he’s still a ways away from returning to the mound. His last official outing was July 30, 2022. If healthy, Canterino has the stuff to be a dominating reliever, but he’s had real trouble staying healthy.
Notable New additions
20. Andrew Morris, RHP
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Track Record: A 2022 fourth-round pick out of Texas Tech, Morris had a dominating start to the 2023 season at Low-A Fort Myers and was solid at High-A Cedar Rapids. He’s been even better in 2024, dominating in a return to Cedar Rapids and being even better in his first seven outings for Double-A Wichita.
Scouting Report: Morris combines solid stuff with plus control, giving him the ability to turn over lineups multiple times. He has an over-the-top release point that makes him a North-South pitcher who changes eye levels. He commands his 93-95 mph above-average fastball well and it has enough life to be effective at the top of the zone. That sets up his mid-80s average slider and bigger mid-70s downer curveball. After elevating with his fastball, he works to the bottom and below the zone with his 87-89 mph changeup A hard 90-92 mph cutter has given him an additional effective pitch he can throw in the zone.
The Future: Morris gives the Twins yet another upper-level starting pitching candidate with enough stuff, enough pitches and more than enough command and control to be a back-end starter.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 55
25. Eduardo Beltre, OF
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
Track Record: Beltre has missed time with a wrist injury, but when he’s been on the field, the big-money signing ($1,497,500) has been excellent. He hit three home runs in his first 12 games while flirting with a .400 batting average.
Scouting Report: Beltre’s plus power potential was apparent when he was an amateur, but so far he’s showing he’s a better pure hitter than expected. Beltre is a plus runner, but the fact that he’s primarily a right fielder in the Dominican Summer League is a decent indicator that he’ll likely stay in a corner outfield spot. He has an above-average arm.
The Future: Beltre should make it to the U.S. to play in the Florida Complex League next year. His offensive game is a little more well-rounded than expected so far, which is an encouraging sign for his long-term development.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 45 | Power: 55 | Speed: 60 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 55
28. Ronny Henriquez, RHP
BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium
Track Record: Henriquez was acquired in the 2022 trade that sent Mitch Garver to the Rangers. He’s been on the Twins’ 40-man roster, then off and now back on again. He’s made a pair of single-game appearances for the Twins out of the bullpen, but he’s mainly been pitching out of the Triple-A St. Paul bullpen.
Scouting Report: Henriquez’s mid-90s fastball remains a plus pitch. He’ll get to 98-99 at his best, but it’s the carry of the pitch and his flat approach angle that makes it especially effective. He pairs his fastball with an average slider. The combination should work better than it has in reality, mainly because Henriquez will hang his slider. He gave up six home runs off his slider in his first 24 appearances in St. Paul.
The Future: Henriquez projects to be in the role he currently fills: An up-and-down reliever who could carve out a larger role as a lower-leverage reliever if he can improve command of his slider.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 50
Significant injuries
Kala’i Rosario, OF
Rosario is on the 60-day injured list with an elbow injury.
Danny De Andrade, SS
De Andrade sprained his ankle in May. He was initially placed on the seven-day injured list, but he’s since been moved to the 60-day IL, meaning he won’t be eligible to return until mid-July.
Connor Prielipp, LHP
Prielipp is working back from his second Tommy John surgery in three seasons. He was already working back from elbow surgery when the Twins drafted and signed him, but he suffered a recurrence of the injury after throwing just 6.2 innings in 2023. He’s back on the mound throwing now and hopefully should return to action in the second half of the season.
C.J. Culpepper, RHP
Culpepper is throwing as he works back from a forearm strain. He’s currently on the 7-day injured list.
Gabriel Gonzalez, OF
Gonzalez has just been activated and returned to Cedar Rapids after missing a month and a half with a back injury.
Cory Lewis, RHP
Lewis missed all of April and much of May with a right shoulder impingement. He’s back on the mound for Double-A Wichita now.
Darren Bowen, RHP
Bowen is in a throwing program as he works to return from elbow soreness. He was placed on the injured list in early June.
