Minnesota Twins Preseason 2022 Top 50 Prospects: No. 50-41
Minnesota Twins Top 50 Prospects: 50-46
Prospect No. 50: Austin Schulfer, RHP
Our list starts off with undersized right-hander Austin Schulfer, the 6’2″, 175 lb starting pitcher out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He put up solid numbers at UW-Milwaukee, finishing his college career with solid enough numbers to be the Twins’ 19th Round Selection in 2018.
Since he arrived, he’s steadily risen through the organizational ranks, posting more solid numbers (9.6 K/9 is very good for a starter), but giving up way too many hits and walks. He just turned 26, and he’s probably not a starter in the majors, but he’s a good pitcher to watch with a solid low-nineties fastball and good curveball.
Prospect No. 49: Cody Laweryson, RHP
Cody Laweryson is similar to Schulfer in a couple ways, as he’s a middle round pick (14th Round in 2019) who impressed in college, and gets lots of strikeouts, but he’s got a couple differences as well. Laweryson was a reliever-turned-starter at Maine, and the Twins have kept him there, and he’s had some success.
He’s big, at 6’4″, 205 lbs, but he still has some more projectability in his frame. He limits walks, but he struggled to miss bats last year, giving up lots of hits at High A. He was very solid in Fall League though, and at just 23, he will continue to rise up the ranks if he can avoid giving up so many hits in 2022.
Prospect No. 48: Jermaine Palacios, SS
Jermaine Palacios is one of the hitters on the lower half of this list with the best chance to see the major leagues within a few seasons because of his ability to play the position where the Twins need the most help: shortstop. The 25 year old has a long history with the team too.
Palacios was the centerpiece of the trade that brought back Jake Odorizzi in 2018, and after struggling in Tampa, he signed here again as an MiLB free agent. He has some solid power (19 HR in 110 games at AA last year), but he needs to have another strong season to prove he’s ready for his long-awaited MLB shot.
Prospect No. 47: Samuel Perez, LHP
Yes, Samuel Perez is a 22 year old still playing rookie ball, but the young lefty could move quickly through the system. His small frame (5’11) hides how well he delivers the ball, and the Twins could see him move quickly through the minors. Expect him to pitch well in the lower levels and e tested by the Double-AA and Triple-AAA batters.
Prospect No. 46: Zach Featherstone, LHP
Zach Featherstone is another left-handed reliever, but he comes with a little more of a resume than Perez. The 12th Round pick from 2016 out of Tallahassee Community College played just 15 games from 2017-2020, but he broke out in 2021 with 93 strikeouts in 55 innings and a sparkling 2.13 ERA.
He needs to prove himself in 2022, as he has a tendency to walk a lot of batters, but if he comes out hot again, he has an outside shot at joining the Twins bullpen in 2023. If he doesn’t, his time on this list will be very short-lived.
Minnesota Twins Top 50 Prospects: 45-41
Prospect No. 45: Christian MacLeod, LHP
The Twins’ fifth round pick in 2021, Christian MacLeod was the 113th-ranked MLB Draft Prospect and the team was able to scoop him up with the 159th pick. He’s got an excellent curveball, a good fastball that sits in the lower nineties, and a possible changeup as a good third option.
He’s big, 6’4″ and 227, which helps with his delivery. He saw just 1.2 innings in his first minor league appearance, but he could be someone who rises quickly in the system and has the floor of a big league reliever if he develops right.
Prospect No. 44: Andrew Bechtold, 3B/1B
The Twins’ fifth round pick in 2017, Andrew Bechtold has had a very up and down career in the Twins system. He strikes out a lot, and struggles with hitting for average, but he displayed some serious power in his breakout season at AA last year. Similar to a few other prospects on this list, he has to prove it’s for real.
Prospect No. 43: Will Holland, SS
Another fifth round pick, Will Holland was a stud shortstop picked out of Auburn in 2019. He was the 19th ranked prospect in the Twins system in 2020, flush with athleticism, power, and a solid glove. So why such a fall?
Well, in 112 games, Holland is slashing a ghastly .207/.324/.393 with 17 homers. He gets on base well considering how poorly he’s hit, and his power is evident, but he has to show he can hit with at least some consistently. He’s pushing 24 now, so this is a make or break year for him.
Prospect No. 42: Jair Camargo, C/1B
Acquired in the Kenta Maeda trade, Jair Camargo has improved his defense greatly since coming over to Minnesota. Unfortunately, his offense has slipped, resulting in his fall down the rankings ladder.
He’s a catcher, so the 22 year old will have ample opportunity to turn things around in the catching-thin Minnesota Twins system, but he has to strike out WAY less and get on base a lot more to have a shot at seeing the big leagues. Don’t count him out quite yet though.
Prospect No. 41: Ben Rortvedt, C
It’s technically cheating to put him here since he exhausted rookie status, so he won’t be on the next version of these rankings, but he’s played less than 40 games in the majors. He’s looked exactly like expected so far. Solid power and defense, nothing else. He needs to show more this year to prove he’s a major leaguer, even as a backup.
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