Minnesota Twins Top 20 Prospects: #19 Wander Javier

Puckett’s Pond presents our Top 20 Minnesota Twins prospects. At #19 is Wander Javier

Honorable Mentions  #20: Travis Blankenhorn  #19 Wander Javier

On the same day the Minnesota Twins called Miguel Sano up from the minors, they signed another promising infielder out of the Dominican Republic. Shortstop Wander Javier received an elevated signing bonus of $4 million to join the Twins organization.

The high fee initially surprised a few, but upon reflection, I reckon the Twins may have secured a baseball gem when Javier signed on the dotted line of his first professional contract.

Name: Wander Javier
Position: SS         Age: 17
Height: 6’0”    Weight: 165 lbs.
Throws: Right            Bats: Right
Acquired: Signed as an amateur free agent in 2015

Javier is a very competitive, 6-foot, 165 pound shortstop who projects to stay at the position at least in the short term. Although some scouts have doubts about whether he can stay there long term as he bulks up, having observed his fielding skills, footwork and athleticism I tend to agree that he might, after all, stay a shortstop in the long run. This is especially the case, if we consider that his arm strength is more than adequate for the demands of the position.

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Javier is not the fastest runner out there. He has consistently registered speeds of around 6.7 or 6.8 from the home plate to first base, which makes him at the very least an average runner, with the potential to be well-above average in the future. As he matures and fills in his body frame both his speed and his power at the plate may improve significantly.

In Javier, the Twins have signed a mouthwatering prospect that may one day offer stellar defense and a reliable middle of the order bat.

Now, perhaps what makes Javier such a high ceiling prospect more than anything else is his  raw plus-power potential, which eventually should turn him into a middle of the order hitter. For a 17 year-old Javier is well ahead of the proverbial curve. Scouts have been raving for a while about his hitting potential, some going as far as considering him the best all-around player of his class.

All in all, I would not be surprised to see Javier following his compatriot Sano’s steps to the big show in the not-to-distant future.

Next: Top 20 Prospects: #20 Travis Blankenhorn

In Javier, the Twins have signed a mouthwatering prospect that may one day offer stellar defense and a reliable middle of the order bat. Once he has a full season in the minors behind him, we will be able to offer a more accurate evaluation of his tools and ceiling, but at the moment, all signs point to the kid being a future star.