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How the Minnesota Twins prospects fared in the Arizona Fall League

By Gary Malmberg

MINNESOTA, MN - APRIL 12: The grounds crew of the Minnesota Twins lay down a logo template on the mound prior to a game between the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox during the Twins home opener at Target Field on April 12, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien /Getty Images)
MINNESOTA, MN - APRIL 12: The grounds crew of the Minnesota Twins lay down a logo template on the mound prior to a game between the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox during the Twins home opener at Target Field on April 12, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien /Getty Images) /
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The Hitters

RF Jaylin Davis, Age 24

Davis was drafted in the 24th round in 2015.  The 6’1, 190-pound right-handed right fielder has advanced a level at mid-year in each of his three seasons. His combined 2018 slash line at A (Adv) Fort Myers and AA Chattanooga was .273/.347/.412. Davis picked up 11 outfield assists on the year.

Davis didn’t stand out in the AFL this fall. He hit .279, but only two doubles in 61 at-bats, with 21 strikeouts vs two walks. He was one of the older position players in the league.

AA or AAA?  Davis will probably return to AA at Pensacola. While he may move up to AAA at some point, I don’t like his odds of contributing at the major league level.

OF Luke Raley, Age 24

Raley was drafted in the 7th round in 2016 by the Dodgers. The 6’3″, 220 pounder bats from the left side and throws from the right.  He plays both corner outfield positions as well as first base. He slashed .275 /.350 /.471 in AA with 20 home runs on the season. Raley is ranked 19th among Twins prospects by MLB.com

Raley only appeared in four AFL games before going down with an injury. He had three hits in 14 at-bats, including a triple.

AA or AAA? After a full year at AA, Raley could well be ticketed to Rochester in 2019, but with a 137/36 K/BB ratio last year, he does need to work on his plate discipline. He was the hitter that I really wanted to see versus AFL competition.

2B/3B Travis Blankenhorn, Age 22

Blankenhorn was drafted in the third round of the 2015 draft.  The 6′ 2″, 208 pounder bats left. He has split time mainly at second and third base, with a few outings in left field. His Fort Myers A (ADV) slash line was .231/.299 /.387. The youngest of the AFL Twins, Blankenhorn is the 18th ranked Twins prospect per MLB.com    xx http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2018?list=min

Blankenhorn posted a slash line of .224/.352 .241 in 58 Arizona at-bats.  One of the keys to Blankenhorn’s future success will be his ability to hit with power, an area that he struggled in this past season. Of his 13 AFL hits, only one, a double, was for extra bases. He put together a pair of 3-4 outings, hitting .120 over the other 15 games.  On the bright side, he showed good plate discipline with 10 walks versus 13 strikeouts along with a highlight diving catch in left field.

A+ or AA?  Blankenhorn’s AFL performance was disappointing. He hasn’t shown in 2018 that he’s ready for AA ball in 2019.

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