Minnesota Twins: Breaking down the 2020 Rule Five Draft

Minnesota Twins Moves in the Rule 5 Draft: Phase 1-The Major League Phase

As we mentioned earlier one, the Minnesota Twins didn’t bring in any new players in this phase, but it wasn’t a completely quiet round for the team. The Twins did lose two players in the Major League phase of the draft: outfielder Akil Baddoo and starting pitcher Tyler Wells.

Badoo went third overall in the draft to the Detroit Tigers. In terms of prospects, Badoo was one of the two highest ranked players selected in the draft. The Twins’ second round pick in 2016, Badoo has always been seen as a prospect with lots of potential who couldn’t stay healthy. He’s actually fresh off of Tommy John surgery that cost him most of 2019.

He was our 18th-ranked prospect in the Twins system, but likely would not have made the big-league roster in 2021. The Tigers likely feel cautiously optimistic that Baddoo can help them with his athleticism, speed, and hitting in the outfield. If he bounces back, this is a good get for the Tigers.

Wells went in the second round of the draft to the Orioles, even though like Baddoo, he is still recovering from Tommy John Surgery. A fifteenth-round pick in 2016, Wells has flashed a lot of potential, but the surgery meant he would have been a long shot to make the Minnesota roster in 2021.

This was a bit of surprise pick, but the Orioles like his 6’8″ height and his ability to throw strikes. If he can regain the form he had in 2018 in the Majors, the rebuilding Orioles got a nice piece. Both players need to stick on the major league roster for their new teams or they will end up back in Minnesota.