With the 27th Pick in the MLB Draft, the Minnesota Twins grabbed Aaron Sabato, first baseman from the University of North Carolina.
With the MLB draft moving quickly through the night, the Minnesota Twins reached a bit to pick Aaron Sabato, a first baseman from the University of North Carolina. Sabato fits the mold of Twins recent picks well, as a big power prospect with plenty of upside.
Sabato was the Number 41 prospect according to MLB.com and the Number 48 prospect according to CBSSports.com. He was generally considered a first round pick though, as his power is simply too much to ignore.
Sabato is very much a hit-first first baseman, as his run, field, and arm tools are all below average. There’s time to work on this though, as he isn’t needed in the lineup any time soon. The commentators for the MLB Draft on ESPN said the same thing: It’s going to take time.
Sabato is 21 and has MLB-ready power right now, and his hit tool is improving, but he won’t be ready for at least three years. Here’s the thing though: that’s a good thing. With Miguel Sano, Josh Donaldson, and Nelson Cruz, there isn’t really a spot for him for a while.
This will allow for lots of development time, something Sabato needs. He’ll be a player to keep an eye on in a few years. A lot of comparisons are drawn to Pete Alonso, and if he turns into even half of that, this pick is a win.
Plus, he’s got a sweet swing:
I personally didn’t see this one coming, as I thought the Twins would go after a college pitcher or a catcher here, but I’m pretty happy with the pick. The fact that he has a lot of upside is ideal, as the Twins should want players like this, guys who they won’t need right away.
I think the Twins did an overall good job given how the draft progressed, so they get a grade worthy of their very solid pick.