MLB Pipeline Checks In From Twins Camp

The Minnesota Twins are now undefeated through their first game of the Spring Training slate, and they can lay claim to having one of the most exciting camps in all of Major League Baseball. While the Twins have plenty of positional battles just like every other team, they also boast some of the best prospects in the game. MLB Pipeline recently checked in down in Fort Myers to see what’s going on with the Twins.

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Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com featured a few different areas of the Twins camp, and brought even more national attention to the club from Twins Territory. With first time manager Paul Molitor well underway running the show, Minnesota has hit the ground sprinting.

Knowing that the Twins have six prospects on Major League Baseball’s top 100 list, the team has plenty of excitement coming down the pipeline. However, prospects only matter if they end up performing at the high level when it comes to the major leagues. Mayo spoke with the Twins farm director Brad Steil, and he had this to say about the state of the system:

“We feel good about where we’re at with the players we have right now.We’re starting to see some of those players start to surface at the top of the system and it’s nice to see them now starting to surface at the big league level. That’s what it’s all about, obviously. Prospects are just prospects until they start producing in the big leagues.”

While prospects may highlight the Twins spring thus far, there are plenty of other areas to check on. Mayo brings a few to light.

Mar 4, 2014; Jupiter, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (70) at bat against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Who to Watch

Looking at Spring Training standouts, Mayo immediately points to Byron Buxton. The number one prospect in all of Major League Baseball has impressed thus far during the spring. Although Buxton’s talent is well noted, a lost 2014 brought some uncertainty to just how quickly Buxton would be able to start this season.

So far, Buxton has looked every bit the part of the superstar the Twins hope he will be. Batting leadoff in the exhibition against the Gophers earlier this week, Buxton doubled twice showing off his blazing speed on the basepaths.

Looking to distance himself from the injuries he had to deal with last season, Buxton was focused on improving his body this offseason. Thanks to focusing on working out, combined with a strong nutrition plan, Buxton should be in a better place as the 2015 season rolls around. Having followed around Torii Hunter for much of the early parts of Spring Training as well, Buxton should have plenty of new tricks to employ this year.

Apr 10, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of a baseball on the field during pre game batting practice before a game between the Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Mayo’s Breakouts

When trying to decide which minor league players could make the jump in Spring Training, often times the answer is completely up in the air. When observing the Twins camp, Jonathan Mayo picked a couple of pitchers he believes can contribute and take some significant strides forward this season.

First highlighted is J.T. Chargois. A second round draft pick out of Rice, elbow issues and eventual Tommy John surgery have derailed his career thus far. With 2015 representing a new opportunity and a further distance from the injury issues, Chargois is someone the Twins are watching closely.

Steil told Mayo, “We’re looking forward to getting him going, getting him back on track from where we thought he could be. He might be a quick mover once he does get moving. It depends on what kind of command he shows. The stuff is going to be there.”

From there, Tyler Duffer and Taylor Rogers were both mentioned as potential breakout candidates. Having pitched at the Double-A season ago, neither player finds themselves too far away. Both could continue to climb the ladder and find themselves in Triple-A Rochester at some point this season. Although they may not be the top prospects like Alex Meyer or Jose Berrios, both have the ability to contribute at the major league level.

Steil said of them, “They are two guys who have the potential to help us in Minnesota this year if they can go out and be productive in Triple-A. They’re both low-90s type of guys. Neither of them have a real devastating breaking ball or anything. But they both have good intangibles and they both know how to use their mix. They both have a good feel for pitching and they both compete.”