Puckett’s Pond Top 20 Minnesota Twins Prospects: Others To Know

Upper Minors Pitchers

Luke Bard, RHP, Chattanooga – Bard was moving slow up the system as a compensatory 1st round pick in 2012 from Georgia Tech. He ended up having elbow surgery and missing all of the 2014 season. He has come back strong, and this year he’s shown excellence out of the bullpen in AA, with a 2.57 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 42 innings.

J.T. Chargois, RHP, Rochester – On the fast track as a big-armed reliever after 2016, Chargois has struggled with injury this season and made only 2 appearances.

John Curtiss, RHP, Rochester – 2014 6th round selection moved to the bullpen in 2016 full-time and saw his stuff tick up tremendously and could be argued as the best relief prospect in the system, putting up a 1.31 ERA and striking out 48 over 34 1/3 innings between AA and AAA.

Ryan Eades, RHP, Chattanooga – One time big-time prospect was a 2nd round pick in 2013 but struggled as a starter. Has found big success in a swing man role, with a 2.98 ERA over 18 games, 6 of them starts with a 1.05 WHIP.

Zack Jones, RHP, Chattanooga – A big-armed reliever, the Brewers attempted to take Jones in the rule 5 last season but could not keep him when he ended up hurt. He’s been recovering from injury this year with the Twins.

Mason Melotakis, LHP, Rochester – Melotakis has shown himself as at least a very skilled LOOGY type if not a future valuable lefty reliever with a 2.20 ERA and 0.89 WHIP between AA and AAA.

Alex Muren, RHP, Chattanooga – Muren was a productive reliever out of Cal State-Northridge, drafted in 2012 in the 12th round before he had arm issues and missed all of the 2016. He’s just getting back to the mound this season, and has put up a 1.91 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 28 1/3 innings between high-A and AA.

Jake Reed, RHP, Rochester – Big armed reliever drafted from the University of Oregon in the 9th round in 2014 has faced arm issues this season after showing himself as a dominating reliever previously.

Dereck Rodriguez, RHP, Chattanooga – Sixth-round pick out of high school in 2011, Rodriguez was originally an outfielder and converted to the mound in 2014, which is why he’s a bit “older” than most who are on the same development time line. He has a good pitch mix that could work to a very workable major league starter and has flown under the radar to this point.

Randy Rosario, LHP, Rochester – Rosario has worked his way up the Twins system and moved to the bullpen full-time last season and found big success in short bursts. He’s made it all the way to Minnesota this season and has put up a 1.56 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in the minors this year.

Aaron Slegers, RHP, Rochester – Towering 6’10” righty relies on getting weak contact on his heavy sinker. Has always been a starter in the Twins system, but he could find success out of the bullpen where his size and sinker would be devastating in short bursts.

Nik Turley, LHP, Rochester – Signed after finishing 2016 in independent ball, Turley worked with the Twins staff and has really developed his stuff well to befuddle hitters at both the AA and AAA levels to the tune of 95 strikeouts in just 64 2/3 innings. Could end up really pushing forward in his move to the bullpen from the left side.

Alex Wimmers, RHP, Rochester – After struggling as a starter and even seemingly having a case of the “yips” as a starting pitcher, Wimmers has found success moving to the bullpen. He’s struggled with his control in two big league trials, but that hasn’t been an issue out of the bullpen in the minors, so he’ll continue to work back toward the Twins bullpen.

A-ball hitters

Luis Arraez, 2B, Fort Myers – Small, slappy hitter with very good contact skills had a big season with low-A in 2016, hitting .347, but has been out much of the year with injury.

Travis Blankenhorn, 3B, Cedar Rapids – Shot up rankings last season after a big power display in the Appy League. Has continued to show power, but the contact rate has not been as good as he’s hit only .239/.349/.420, but with 15 doubles, 9 triples, 8 home runs, and 8 steals. Good athlete and comfortable at either 3B or 2B defensively.

Trey Cabbage, OF, Cedar Rapids – 2015 4th rounder was moved off of 3B to the outfield this season, and it seems to have opened up his bat a bit, though there is still plenty more there that has not been tapped into in his excellent lefty swing.

Lean Marrero, OF, Cedar Rapids – 2015 pick from Puerto Rico has struggled with injury but flashed big athleticism when he’s healthy enough to play.

Ben Rortvedt, C, Cedar Rapids – Second round pick in 2016 out of high school in Wisconsin, Rortvedt was drafted with a big power bat that many felt would struggle to find effectiveness behind the plate. Instead, he’s developing well behind the plate and having some struggles to tap into his powerful swing at the plate at this point in his development, but high school catchers take a longer time than most prospects, so he may be one to be patient with, and he’s only 19.

Aaron Whitefield, OF, Cedar Rapids – Toolsy Australian outfielder has flashed power and speed at times, but really showing a new level of power this season that could have him jumping up lists this year as he’s hitting .270/.324/.454 with 10 home runs and 20 stolen bases in Cedar Rapids.

Zander Wiel, 1B, Fort Myers – Vanderbilt product has a big right handed swing that produces a lot of swing and miss but a lot of loud contact as well, as evidenced by 33 extra base hits this season, but also nearly a strikeout per game last season.

A-ball pitchers

Eduardo Del Rosario, RHP, Cedar Rapids – A favorite of 2080 ball this spring, Del Rosario has an excellent fastball/change combo with two workable breaking pitches that give him a starter’s repertoire, though his slight build has led to concerns about his ability to go deep into games. He’s averaging roughly 5 2/3 innings pitched per start this season, but he’s found some control issues that he’s not encountered previously. If he can get those under control, this is a very impressive overall package.

Thomas Hackimer, RHP, Fort Myers – Drafted in the 4th round out of college at St. Johns University in New York last season, Hackimer has shown well as a reliever and is likely to move up yet another level by the end of this season the way he’s been pitching, with a 1.28 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 11/45 BB/ over 42 2/3 innings across low-A and high-A this season.

Griffin Jax, RHP, Cedar Rapids – An impressive pitcher to write up a scouting report on, Jax’s military commitment will likely keep him to roughly a month of availability to the Twins each summer while he completes his military commitment over the next two years, but his stuff is quality enough to make him worth the wait.

Sean Poppen, RHP, Fort Myers – A Harvard guy, selected in the 19th round from the prestigious university in the 2016 draft, Poppen has been defeating hitters on the mound with his arm as much as his mind. He won’t reach triple digits, but he has excellent control of his entire arsenal and works in the low-90s with good movement on the fastball.

Alex Robinson, LHP, Fort Myers – Drafted by the Twins in the 5th round of the 2015 draft out of the University of Maryland, Robinson struggled to gain a foothold in the minors, especially with his command. Working up to the upper 90s and with a nasty slider when it’s on, Robinson has late-inning stuff if he can keep up the improvements he’s seen in his control this season, walking only 15 over 41 innings and striking out 57.

Michael Theofanopoulos, LHP, Fort Myers – A guy to cheer for because of the effort to sew his name on the back of a jersey and the fact that he was a 30th round selection in 2014, Theofanopoulos has had an excellent season this year, albeit with some more hittability than he’s used to. He’s continued to show a strong strikeout rate, with 50 in 43 innings.

Andrew Vasquez, LHP, Fort Myers – A 32nd round selection in 2015 may turn out to be an absolute gem of a find for the Twins as Vasquez has been absolutely dominant in his first two full seasons in the Twins system. This year, he’s split time between low-A and high-A, with a 0.92 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and an insane 13/62 BB/K ratio over 39 innings.

Lachlan Wells, LHP, Fort Myers – The Aussie lefty has struggled some with injury, but is finally back to working healthy this season. While the strikeout numbers haven’t been amazing, he keeps a low walk rate and generally has kept the ball in the park, though that has been his downfall in his numbers this season, as a career 0.5-0.6 HR/9 rate is at 1.4 HR/9 this season for Fort Myers, which makes it fitting that his xFIP is roughly a half run lower than his ERA.

Tyler Wells, RHP, Cedar Rapids – Big, strong (6’8, 265 pounds) righty out of Cal State-San Bernardino was drafted in the 15th round in 2016 and has really made a big impression ever since joining the system. Wells was injured and hasn’t pitched since June 26th, but previous to that, he had a 2.21 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 16/82 BB/K ratio over 61 innings on the season!

Rookie Ball Hitters

Carlos Aguiar, OF – This is a bit of counting chickens before they’re officially hatched as Aguiar hasn’t signed his contract because he doesn’t turn 16 until the end of August, but the Twins are his expected destination and he is an impressive specimen to say the least, with a right field profile and already 6’3″ and around 200 pounds of “good” weight.

Andrew Bechtold, 3B, Elizabethton – Bechtold was part of a strong Chipola College JuCo program this last season. He has a very good compact swing and flashed power in his final college season, though he has limited track record, so he may take longer than a typical college 3B type.

Ricky De La Torre, SS, GCL – The second excellent young shortstop the Twins drafted in the 2017 draft, De La Torre won’t even turn 18 until July 21st as one of the younger members of the class. He has a projectable frame that should allow for power as he grows into his 6’2 frame, and if he adds too much size for shortstop, his arm should allow him to play at third quite well.

Yeltsin Encarnacion, SS, DSL – Signed in 2014 out of the Dominican Republic, Encarnacion has shuffled for two seasons in the Dominican Summer League, but he’s breaking out in a big way this year with a .364/.475/.606 line and more impressively, a 13/5 BB/K ratio over 23 games so far.

Kolton Kendrick, 1B, Elizabethton – A big lefty bat that the Twins picked in the 8th round of the 2015 draft out of high school in Louisiana, Kendrick was known for power and his eye at the plate. He’s been able to display both of those qualities when healthy (a bout with mono really took down his 2016 season), but contact has been his biggest issue. If he could get the contact more consistent, he’s walking in almost 20% of his plate appearances and getting extra base hits in half of his hits, so he could be an impressive power hitter.

Jelfrey Marte, SS – Signed this July by the Twins for $3M. Just 16, with good ability to make solid contact as a switch hitter, though likely to project more as a gap power hitter. Very good speed, though struggles at times to get out of the gate. Defensively, he’s got excellent reviews for his footwork, glove, and arm at shortstop, which is very encouraging.

Jose Miranda, IF, Elizabethton – The Twins’ 2nd round selection in 2016 out of Puerto Rico, Miranda has bounced around the infield a bit, but he’s continued to flash excellent bat to ball skills, zone recognition, and surprising power from his frame that’s still filling out. Just barely 19 (at the end of June), Miranda’s biggest question is going to be where he fits defensively as his bat is certainly going to play.

Alberoni Nunez, OF, DSL – Making his debut in the Twins system as a 17 year-old, Nunez is certainly making a positive impression. On the season in the DSL, he’s hitting .330/.373/.485 with 4 doubles, 4 triples, a home run, and 2 stolen bases. He has primarily played right field thus far, but has flashed athleticism not expected from a “cheap” signee from the Dominican last summer.

J.J. Robinson, 1B, Elizabethton – A 33rd round pick this season, I’m including Robinson as a three-true outcome guy who seems to walk, strikeout, or homer. He had one of the more impressive balls I got to see hit in the BP video I saw of him. The swing is long and certainly has work to do, but the power is unquestionable.

Benjamin Rodriguez, 1B, GCL – Another late-round pick, in the 38th round this year, the Twins originally announced the 6’6, 240-pound (though I think that’s about 20 pounds light!) Rodriguez as a catcher. He’s played all of his games at first base this season so far, and the home run power that he struggled to tap into with Pepperdine has not manifested yet, but he’s smacking the ball around, hitting .340/.441/.560 in 15 games so far.

Estamy Urena, SS, DSL – Urena slipped through to the Twins as a guy who was higher profile in the 2015 IFA class, but he seemed to drop off the radar some before signing last July 2nd. Urena is an elite defender at shortstop. His bat is not projected to lead to much power over the fence, but he has high baseball intelligence, which has allowed him to show well on the base paths in the DSL this summer, where he’s hit .337/.404/.472 with 3 doubles, 3 triples, a home run, and 2 stolen bases, posting a 12/11 BB/K ratio.

Rookie Ball Pitchers

Jordan Balazovic, RHP, GCL – Drafted in the 5th round in 2016 out of high school in Canada, Balazovic is still filling into his 6’4″ frame, and he’s seeing corresponding bumps in his velocity. His change and curve are also excellent pitches that work well, but he’s still working with consistency in his delivery as he fills into his frame.

Charlie Barnes, LHP, Elizabethton – Fourth round selection this season, Barnes is the prototype college lefty with a slightly narrow 6’2″ frame that worries some scouts about how he’ll be able to work deep into the games. Barnes has excellent command at his best with a four pitch mix that could project as a back-end starter if he can hold up with premium command.

Michael Montero, RHP, DSL – Montero was signed out of Venezuela as a low-cost signee, but thus far, he’s been the most productive pitcher on the Dominican Summer League team, throwing 32 1/3 innings with a 2.76 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 10/33 BB/K ratio over 7 starts.

Jovani Moran, LHP, Elizabethton – Drafted in the 7th round in 2015 out of Puerto Rico, Moran missed all of the 2016 season recovering from surgery. He works with a fastball in the low-90s with excellent movement and a breaking pitch that has seemed to develop better shape in his surgery recovery. He has a slight build, but if he can continue to fill out and develop his change up, he has the stuff that could develop into an effective lefty starter.

More from Puckett's Pond

• Minnesota Twins: 2022 Year in Review for Twins Baseball
• Minnesota Twins: Making the Case for the Current 2023 Rotation
• Minnesota Twins: Does the MLB or the Twins have a Spending Problem?
• Minnesota Twins: 2 Possible Free Agent Reunions for 2023
• Minnesota Twins: Holiday Wish List for the rest of the Offseason

Bryan Sammons, LHP, Elizabethton

– Sammons has a big frame that should allow him to start going forward, though the Twins are managing his innings this season after drafting him in the 8th round out of Western Carolina this year. Sammons throws three average pitches, but works well at staying in the zone and competing with hitters, giving him a chance to develop as a back-end starter if not a quality lefty reliever.

Jesus Toledo, LHP, DSL – Signed out of Venezuela last summer, Toledo has come out throwing very well for DSL this season, with 27 2/3 innings, a 1.30 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and a 6/19 BB/K ratio.

Huascar Ynoa, RHP, Elizabethton – The younger brother of Michael Ynoa, who was one of the most highly regarded international pitchers in recent memory, Huascar doesn’t have the 6’7″ frame of his brother, but the stuff is not far off from his brother’s peak before injuries turned him into a reliever. Ynoa has a fastball that can touch into the mid-90s and sits in the low 90s, but his real value on the mound for his age comes in his ability to throw a curve and a change that are above-average and can both flash plus quality. Ynoa’s biggest concern is his command/control, which is interesting due to his easy delivery, but the Twins have spotted some mechanical adjustments since signing Ynoa in 2014 and believed they had those worked out with him, though he’s struggled with his control this season so far in 4 starts.

Next: Twins trade profile: Marcus Stroman

That should whet your whistle plenty for the rest of the week’s list. Any guys that you’re surprised to see here and not on the top 20? Any guys you would like to point out that might not be on this list quite yet? Comment below!