Minnesota Twins: 2022 Midseason Top 50 Prospects, No. 20-1
Minnesota Twins Top Prospects: No. 20-11
No. 20-2B Edouard Julien (2022 Preseason Ranking: No. 33): After a breakout campaign in 2021, I wanted to see Eduoard Julien back it up at AA in 2022. While his pure stat totals have dipped a little playing up a level, Julien followed his stellar 2021 slashline of .267/.434/.480 with a .285/.424/.460 line and kept walking at high rate.
Sure, his defense is still a major weakness and his arm has forced him to land at second base. His strikeouts are still way too high. There’s a reason he’s still ranked just 20th. With that being said, his OPS-based style of play gives him some potential in modern baseball.
No. 19-OF Misael Urbina (2022 PR: No. 21): There’s always been a lot of talk about Misael Urbina’s potential, but he’s had a good start to his season since his visa issues have been resolved, slashing .282/.341/.538 in his first 10 games.
He’s a good defender because of his good speed and solid arm, but if he can prove there’s an interesting bat in there, Urbina could shoot up my rankings. As always, he has potential, but now we’re seeing some flashes.
No. 18-Brayan Medina (2022 PR: Not Ranked): Traded from the Padres to the Twins in the Taylor Rogers trade, Medina has looked solid since coming over, flashing his potentially elite stuff and striking out a lot of batters in the hitter-friendly FCL. His control is still a major issue, but he’s just 19 and has time to figure things out.
No. 17-RHP Blayne Enlow (2022 PR: No. 14): Blayne Enlow pitched in just three pro games between 2020 and 2021, and while his first appearance hasn’t been earth-shattering, it’s still good to see the high upside arm back in action.
His control was loose, but he struck out 9.8 batters per nine innings and didn’t get hit too hard in his first eleven appearances at AA. There’s still some upside here, but he needs to finish strong in 2022 and have a good 2023 to make a jump. He’ll be 24 to start next season, but that four pitch mix and good stuff all appears to still be there.
No. 16-LHP Cade Povich (2022 PR: No. 22): The Minnesota Twins’ third round pick in 2021, Cade Povich has had a really good year in High-A. Armed with four pitches and a plus changeup, Povich has been tremendous (except for his last start) and looks to be coming close to being a mid-rotation arm over the next few years for the Minnesota Twins.
No. 15-1B/3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand (2022 PR: No. 31): Coming into the season off of a huge 2021 campaign, I wanted Christian Encarnacion-Strand to prove he was for real. Well, in 82 games between High-A (74 games) and AA (8 games), he’s done exactly that, slashing .308/.379/.619 with 23 homers and 80 RBI.
He doesn’t have a ton of speed, his defense has been brutal this year, and he still strikes out a lot, but if he finishes the year strong and isn’t dealt for a pitcher, he might just crack the Top 10 of this list by the end of the year.
No. 14-LHP Steve Hajjar (2022 PR: No. 25): What a professional debut for Steve Hajjar! In 11 starts at Low-A ball, Hajjar has been nothing short of dominant, posting a 2.04 ERA and 63-22 K-BB ratio in 39.2 innings pitched. The 2021 2nd Round pick’s four pitch mix looks legit, and if he can lower the walks, he could fly through the system.
No. 13-RHP Jordan Balazovic (2022 PR: No. 3): While the last two prospects on this list have jumped up 10+ slots on the list, Jordan Balazovic has plummeted to ten spots to 13th, and it’s really obvious why. Balazovic has been flat out awful this year, posting a 10.85 ERA with a 31-18 K-BB ratio in 34 innings.
The poise, control, and velocity is diminished, and he looks nothing like the former Top 100 prospect we saw in 2019 or even last year. This year is likely a wash for him, but if he can finish strong, there will still be some optimism that the top of the rotation guy is still in there somewhere.
No. 12-RHP Louie Varland (2022 PR: No. 11): The Twins’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2021, Varland has taken a small step back in 2022 facing tougher competition in AA, but he’s still used his well-rounded four pitch mix to post a 7-3 record, 3.64 ERA, and 108-37 K-BB in 94 innings pitched.
Varland should finish out the season at Triple-A, where if things go well, he will have a chance to make more than a few starts with the big league rotation in 2023. All things point to him and his extremely high floor becoming a rock solid starter at the MLB level.
No. 11-SS Noah Miller (2022 PR: No. 13): The No. 36 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Noah Miller has flashed solid speed, on-base numbers, and the defensive chops to stick at shortstop in his first full season of pro ball. He’s looked like someone who can be a potential big league shortstop, but he isn’t without flaws.
Miller (like a lot of Twins prospects) strikes out way too much, and he doesn’t make a lot of contact or hit for power. Because of that, there’s a bit of a cap on his upside for me, but that high floor and defensive poise keeps him right near the Top 10 prospect group.
Minnesota Twins Top Prospects No. 10-No. 6
No. 10-RHP Marco Raya (2022 PR: No. 20): Marco Raya was someone I liked to move up the list quickly at the start of the year and after posting a 2.65 ERA and 61-16 K-BB ratio in Low-A at just 19, Raya has quickly made the jump into the Top 10 of my prospect list.
With four strong pitches, good control, and room to improve at his young age, Raya has the upside to be a frontline starter if he stays healthy and continues to succeed as he moves through the ranks. Keep an eye on him as he moves through the ranks.
No. 9-RHP Matt Canterino (2022 PR: No. 9): After throwing a lot of innings in college and dealing with a lot of injuries in the minors, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that Matt Canterino will end up as a reliever in the majors.
The fact that he’s still ninth in the rankings shows just how good I think he’ll be in that role. With the Twins’ bullpen struggles this season, I want to see Canterino in the MLB bullpen as soon as his rehab assignment wraps up. He’s ready to be an absolute weapon in the pen.
No. 8-OF Matt Wallner (2022 PR: No. 16): At the beginning of the year, I mentioned that Matt Wallner could be a quick riser now that he’s fully healthy, and I couldn’t have been more right. After slashing .299/.437/.597 with 21 Homers in 78 games, he earned a AAA call-up and an appearance in the prestigious All-Star Futures game.
He’s got a ton of power in his bat and arm, and the Forest Lake, Minnesota native seems like the exact prototype teams look for in a right fielder. I’m extremely excited to see what’s next for him, but I expect he’ll be a hot commodity at the deadline.
No. 7-2B/3B Spencer Steer (2022 PR: No. 23): The Minnesota Twins’ other representative at the All-Star Futures Game, I wanted to see Spencer Steer prove he could hit in AA before I moved him further up my prospect list, and he didn’t disappoint, posting a .307/.385/.591 slashline and 8 Homers in 35 AA games before a AAA call-up.
It’s been an adjustment for him there (of course), but Steer has continued to slug really well, get on base, and limit strikeouts. His defense is still a work in progress, but I expect him to also be a hot commodity at the deadline as well.
No. 6-RHP Connor Prielipp (2022 PR: Not Ranked): The Twins should count themselves extremely luck that Connor Prielipp fell all the way to the Twins at 48. Armed with three strong pitches and an elite slider, Prielipp was expected to be one of the top picks in the 2022 Draft before an injury forced him to undergo Tommy John surgery in 2021.
After throwing bullpens and pitching for scouts, everyone seems to agree the stuff is still there, as MLB.com had him ranked as the No. 25 MLB Draft Prospect before the draft begin. No arm in the Twins system has ace upside quite like Prielipp, but some relief risk keeps him outside of the Top 5. He’s worth getting excited over.
Minnesota Twins Top Prospects: No. 5-1
No. 5-OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (2022 PR: No. 12): To start the season, I only ranked Emmanuel Rodriguez 12th, as I didn’t want to overrate his ceiling after a great start in Rookie ball. I did however suggest that “Rodriguez could be the Twins’ next top prospect with proper development.” I believe that may end up being the case sooner rather than later.
Rodriguez followed up his debut by slashing an incredible .272/.493/.552 with 9 homers in 47 games. He showed excellent poise at the plate, walking 57(!!!!) times and his solid speed makes him a good defender. He’s out with a lower body injury, but Rodriguez has officially cemented himself as a Top 5 prospect in Twins territory.
No. 4-2B/CF Austin Martin (2022 PR: No. 1): Our top prospect to start the season, Austin Martin is once again struggling through a season when compared to expectations. The No. 5 pick of the 2020 draft is in the midst of his worst pro season, slashing .249/.378/.313 while stealing 22 bases and showing a lot of poise at the plate, posting a 33-39 BB-K rate over 63 games.
That’s a solid season for most players, but as the centerpiece of the Jose Berrios trade, Martin is a little underwhelming. The middling contact, complete lack of power, and inability to play short are hurting his top prospect status.
On top of this, his best two positions are currently second base and centerfield, where Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco reside causing his future here to start getting murky. He needs to turn things around, and quickly to remain a Top 5 prospect in Minnesota.
No. 3-RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (2022 PR: No. 5): The other prospect from the Jose Berrios trade, Simeon Woods Richardson has been rock solid in his first full season in Minnesota. After a rough 2021, he needed a little more consistency, and it’s done wonders, as he’s posted a 3.27 ERA, 1.109 WHIP, and 55-19 K-BB ratio.
Sure, his strikeouts are down from his career norms, but his walks and hits are way down as well, as he’s seemed to focus on improving his control. The best part is, Woods Richardson is still just 21, and is coming into his own as a starter. If he remains in Minnesota past the deadline, he has a chance to work his way into the Twins rotation by the end of 2023.
No. 2-SS Brooks Lee (2022 PR: Not Ranked): The No. 8 Pick in this year’s MLB Draft, Brooks Lee was my ideal choice to draft in that slot, and it was practically a miracle that the consensus Top 5 pick fell to the Twins at 8.
A smooth fielder, Lee’s most likely home will be at third base, but he’ll likely get the chance to play short. He has a strong arm and excellent instincts, and his father was the coach at Cal Poly (his college). It’s evident in how he plays, as his maturity and leadership were key qualities that helped his draft stock.
His bat is the real asset though. He has a smooth switch-handed swing that sprays hard contact to all over the field and there’s some potential power (20 homers?) there as well. He has a very high floor, high ceiling, and all the tools to become a potential All-Star.
No. 1-SS Royce Lewis (2022 PR: No. 2): After spending one half season away from the top of these rankings, Royce Lewis has returned as the teams’ top prospect. Lewis showed no lag from his ACL injury, dominating in AAA and looking like a potential stud in his brief MLB debut. Then he tore his ACL again.
Prior to the injury, Royce looked like a solid shortstop and great third basemen, showcasing the power, speed and upside that made him the No. 1 pick in 2017. I’m concerned how he’ll come back from the injury (two ACL tears in the same knee is a brutal break), but he proved himself to be a future All-Star with the highest upside in the system. Now we just have to wait for a speedy recovery.
With that wrapped up, here’s the full list of the Top 50 Minnesota Twins prospects:
- Royce Lewis, SS
- Brooks Lee, SS
- Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP
- Austin Martin, 2B/OF
- Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF
- Connor Prielipp, RHP
- Spencer Steer, 2B/3B
- Matt Wallner, OF
- Matt Canterino, RHP
- Marco Raya, RHP
- Noah Miller, SS
- Louie Varland, RHP
- Jordan Balazovic, RHP
- Steve Hajjar, LHP
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B/1B
- Cade Povich, LHP
- Blayne Enlow, RHP
- Brayan Medina, RHP
- Misael Urbina, OF
- Edouard Julien, 2B
- David Festa, RHP
- Brent Headrick, RHP
- Danny De Andrade, SS
- Sean Mooney, RHP
- Sawyer Gipson-Long, RHP
- Aaron Sabato, 1B
- Ronny Henriquez, RHP
- Tanner Schobel, SS
- Yasser Mercedes, SS
- Jermaine Palacios, SS
- Cole Sands, RHP
- Yunior Severino, 2B/3B
- Jair Camargo, C
- Kala’i Rosario, OF
- Keoni Cavaco, SS
- Alerick Soularie, 2B/OF
- Kyler Fedko, OF
- Alex Isola, C/1B
- Austin Schulfer, RHP (RP)
- Travis Adams, RHP
- Casey Legumina, RHP
- Chris Williams, 1B/C
- Jorel Ortega, 2B/3B
- Christian Macleod, LHP
- Kody Funderburk, LHP
- Andrew Morris, RHP
- John Stankiewicz, RHP
- Cody Laweryson, RHP (RP)
- Andrew Bechtold, OF/C
- Will Holland, SS
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