MLB Draft 2019: A Minnesota Twins guide to the MLB Draft
By Chris Schad
A quick history of the 13th overall pick
Sometimes a quick glance of who goes at a certain pick can give you an idea of what a team can get with that selection in that year’s draft. It’s a little trickier than that in the MLB Draft as variables such as signing pool money and contract demands can cause a top prospect to fall along with overall health and performance.
For this year, Twins fans may cringe to see what other teams have gotten with the 13th overall pick in recent drafts. Although there are some gems such as shortstop Trea Turner and pitcher Chris Sale, a lot of the players that were selected 13th overall aren’t household names.
Hunter Renfroe is another familiar name that was selected 13th by the San Diego Padres in 2013 and Brandon Nimmo has been a top prospect in the New York Mets system after being selected by the team in 2012. Dig even deeper and you could wind up with what the Cleveland Indians got in 1991 when they selected outfielder Manny Ramirez.
The last time the Twins selected 13th overall was back in 1995 when they selected Oklahoma left-hander Mark Redman. While Redman was a solid contributor at the beginning of the Twins’ renaissance in the early 2000s, the Twins are more than likely looking to tap into the strong position player class with few elite college arms available in this year’s class.