Minnesota Twins: Twins add 3 Top International Prospects

The major league rumor mill may be off for right now, but the International Signing Period for minor league free agents is now open. The Minnesota Twins took full advantage of this period opening up by adding three young prospects to MiLB deals.

This is a very strong haul for the Twins, especially with the Twins’ farm system looking a little thin with their best players graduating.to the major league roster. The team typically does well with International Prospects, but after a thinner group last year, the team looked to add some strong younger players for the future.

The Minnesota Twins added three Top 50 International Prospects to their farm system

They’ll for sure add more than just these three players, but for right now, we can break down the three guys they did get, starting with the highest rated player on the list in No. 17 prospect Yasser Mercedes.

Yasser Mercedes, OF:

Yasser Mercedes is already a big boy at 6’3″, 180 pounds, and there’s more room to grow into his large form. His best two traits are probably his defense and his speed, so there’s a very real chance that he’ll be able to stick in center field.

His bat is good, with a lot of potential and a smooth game, he could very easily develop into a four or five tool player if everything breaks right (his arm is a minor question mark. It’s all going to come down to his development over the next few years, but his $1.7 million signing bonus

Yilber Herrera, SS:

MLB.com’s comparison for Yilber Herrera is a young Jorge Polanco, a solid contact hitter with smart base running skills. He’s rail thin, but if he develops properly, the No. 35 International Prospect could be a solid middle infielder.

Herrera signed for a relatively modest $700,000, but the switch-hitter could become even more valuable if he develops some power as well (in a similar way to Polanco). He has a good bit of upside, even if not as much as Mercedes.

Bryan Acuna, SS:

The younger brother of Atlanta Braves’ superstar Roñald Acuna Jr., Bryan Acuna may not have some truly elite tools, but he’s got an excellent baseball IQ and looks like he’ll have a plus bat as well, even if he doesn’t have a ton of power.

There are concerns that his defense isn’t that great and he lacks top notch speed, but it’s still very possible that he develops more power and becomes an offensive stud. All told, the No. 39 player in the class offers a little extra juice to a stellar group.