Minnesota Twins: Rounding out the Top-10 prospects
10- Lewin Diaz 1B
Lewin Diaz struggled during his debut season after the Minnesota Twins signed him out of the Dominican Republic in 2013. However, it didn’t take him long to show why Minnesota gave him $1.4 million when they signed him.
Diaz hit only .233 across 180 plate appearances during his debut 2015 season and looked overmatched at the plate. However, he rebounded nicely by hitting .310 across 187 plate appearances during the 2016 season.
Diaz projects to hit for power in the future, but he has yet to fully tap into that potential. However, he has shown advanced plate discipline so far in his young career and should only continue to improve.
Last season was a breakout year for Diaz and he has cemented his place among the Twins top prospects. He hit .292 with 12 home runs and 68 runs batted in en route to being named to the Midwest League All-Star team.
More from Minnesota Twins Prospects
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- Minnesota Twins: Front Office finally making the Right Call with Call-Ups
- Minnesota Twins: Matt Wallner called up, Former Top 30 Prospect DFA’d
What the future holds for Diaz
There is little doubt that as Diaz matures he will begin to tap into his considerable power. He had 57 extra base hits last season, showing that he can consistently drive the baseball. The Minnesota Twins have some question marks at first base in the future, and Diaz could be the answer.
The biggest obstacle in his way will be his below-average defense at first base. Although Diaz should be able to handle the position adequately, his future could be at designated hitter.
He projects to hit for really good power from the left side of the plate and that will benefit the Twins greatly in the future. Minnesota has Brent Rooker as the probable Joe Mauer replacement at first base, but Diaz can play himself into the conversation with a strong 2018 season.
The Minnesota Twins Minor League system has a ton of talent. We’ve only just begun shedding light on a small portion of the talent on the way. The future is bright for baseball in the Twin Cities and it all begins down on the farm with players like Diaz.
Next: What impact will signing Lance Lynn have in 2018?
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