Minnesota Twins 2017 draft class has a star in Royce Lewis and great depth
By Nate Palmer
The Minnesota Twins believed they had a strong draft after making their selections in 2017. A year later at that belief continues to be affirmed.
The Minnesota Twins had the most exciting draft position for fans, and probably also scouts and front office personnel, number one. In sports, we as fans love to obviously cheer for our teams as they compete on the field and make a run for championships. When our teams aren’t making a run at championships the consolation prize is a high draft pick, or in this case, the top pick of all the available prospects. Drafts are an aspect of fandom that draws unique interest and is an event in itself. NFL has capitalized the most on the unique fan interest in drafts making a whole weekend event surrounding their draft each spring.
While fans of NFL and NBA teams turn into the draft to see how the fortune of their team as early as the next season can be improved through who is selected. MLB fans tune into draft coverage rarely to see a player chosen that will impact the team that season or even the next. Instead, the MLB draft is about the long-term impact. That difference doesn’t drive us away from still being curious about who our favorite baseball team will select and may put on a major league uniform years down the road from draft day.
There is just something about the unknown nature of prospects that draws us all in. The increase in coverage with several great outlets now covering amateur and minor league baseball has only made it that much more fun and that much easier to follow for those of us who don’t live in baseball hotbeds.
The Minnesota Twins have recently been able to see a series of good prospects come through and make their Major League debuts. It is a crop of players that will hopefully form the core of some competitive Twins teams for years to come.
Byron Buxton leads that group and for years he headlined baseballs top prospect lists. Miguel Sano and Max Kepler were signed as free agents but also have headlined this group of good young players. Not to mention players like Eddie Rosario and Jorge Polanco who as Twins draft picks have helped to shape a solid core for the Twins.
The 2017 draft class is already drawing the type of reviews that makes many wonder if several that were chosen by the Twins last summer may make up the next wave of a great young Twins core. A year removed from their selections, let’s check in and see how those 2017 draft picks are doing at this point in their professional baseball careers.