Minnesota Twins’ Kala’i Rosario: Pick Grade and Scouting Report

With the 158th Pick in the MLB Draft, the Minnesota Twins pick Kala’i Rosario, an outfielder from Waiakea HS (HI).

Here we are: the final pick of the Minnesota Twins 2020 draft. The Twins have had a very solid draft class overall, and we find out who the final pick for the Twins is: Kala’i Rosario (no relation to Eddie).

This is a classic Falvey and Levine pick in that Rosario’s number one tool is power. The No. 182 Prospect on MLB.com, Kala’i (pronounced ka-lie) has massive potential in that bat, with his power gaining him recognition very early on. Learn a little bit about him here:

He was apart of the Chase Field Showcase in 2019 and raked a massive 458 foot homer that you can look at here (I recommend skipping through to his actual workout):

Now, Rosario has his negatives, mainly, his other four tools. Rosario isn’t an overly speedy guy, he doesn’t hit incredibly well, and his glove isn’t great. His arm, while better, isn’t anything to write home about either. But the power.

Scouts have already given Rosario a 55 grade for his power, a mark better than several other players I had suggested for this pick. This power definitely has something to do with his exit velocity, the analytic stat that likely made the Twins fall in love with Rosario in the first place.

According to Perfect Game, Rosario had an top exit velocity of 105 MPH, 22 MPH higher than the class average of 83. That mark placed him in the top 99.8% of the draft class. For more analytics, his max barrel speed (76.532 MPH), impact momentum (28.812), and max acceleration (41.771 Gs) all ranked in the top 90 percent of his class.

This kid is an analytical marvel and his swings and power certainly pass the eye test. Ifyou believe in Falvey and Levine and what they do, you know this guy is right up their alley. I myself love the analytics, but the Twins picking three players who don’t really have strong positions worries me.

Minnesota Twins Grade: B-.