2015 Twins: Looking For A Spring Training Hero
March 21, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins infielder Miguel Sano (97) in the dugout against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Of those named, Sano is the first guy that is most realistically not going to start the season with the Twins. Most likely, he will actually begin the year with Double-A Chattanooga. With that in mind, he could do an incredible amount down in Fort Myers in terms of pushing the Twins plans with him.
The biggest thing working against Sano is the fact that he is coming off from a lost season in 2014 due to Tommy John surgery. It’s not so much that the injury is a worry, but that the lack of playing time over the past 365 days is going to cause some rust. He didn’t participate in any winter ball, and was not on an Arizona Fall League roster.
As Spring Training rolls around, Sano’s best chance to be included amongst the Twins plans will be through the designated hitter spot. If Kennys Vargas experiences a significant cold spell out of the gate, and seems to be slumping heavily, Sano will see a door open. It will still be a significant uphill battle, but the biggest asset of Sano’s game is his bat, and that will be how he breaks through to Target Field.