We've finally reached MLB All-Star Weekend, but it's not just the current generation of stars that are having their moment.
The MLB Draft is being held this weekend, introducing baseball fans to guys who will likely become top prospects in the new few months. Last year the Minnesota Twins struck gold, as they seem to do in the draft, taking Walker Jenkins with the No. 5 overall pick.
Minnesota got some help in order to land Jenkins. Thanks to the new CBA there's now a draft lottery system and the Twins were the first beneficiaries. Rather than pick 13th, which is where the team was originally slotted, Minnesota moved all the way up to No. 5 and were in a position to draft a guy who is now the No. 1 prospect in their farm system.
This came a year after Minnesota drafted Brooks Lee, who had an unprecedented ascension through the minors to arrive on the MLB roster this month.
Fans have rightly criticized the team for not making enough moves in free agency to improve the team, but it's hard to deny that they've made up for it in the draft. That's a trend we're all hoping continues this year as the Twins prepare to welcome a new class of prospects into the system.
Minnesota Twins MLB Draft Tracker 2024 (Updated July 15)
Note: This list will be updated with each new pick the Twins make over the course of the three-day MLB Draft.
The Twins have four draft picks on the first day, two of which are compensetory picks. Minnesota gained the No. 33 pick after losing Sonny Gray in free agency, and pick again in the second round at No. 69 overall.
In between that, the Twins will have the No. 21 and No. 60 overall picks.
Day 1
Round (Pick) | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
Rd. 1 (Pick 21) | Kaelen Culpepper | SS | Kansas State |
Rd. 1 (Pick 33)* | Kyle DeBarge | SS | Louisiana-Lafayette |
Rd. 2 (Pick 60) | Billy Amick | 3B | Tennessee |
Comp. Round B (Pick 69) | Dasan Hill | LHP | Grapevine High School (TX) |
Day 2
Round (Pick) | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
Rd. 3 (Pick 96) | Khadim Diaw | C | Loyola Marymount University (CA) |
Rd. 4 (Pick 126) | Jaime Ferrer | OF | Florida State |
Rd. 5 (Pick 159) | Caden Kendle | OF | University of California - Irvine (CA) |
Rd. 6 (Pick 188) | Derek Bender | C | Coastal Carolina (SC) |
Rd. 7 (Pick 218) | Eli Jones | P | South Carolina |
Rd. 8 (Pick 248) | Jakob Hall | P | Oral Roberts |
Rd. 9 (Pick 278) | Jason Doktorczyk | P | Nevada |
Rd. 10 (Pick 308) | Peyton Carr | 3B | High Point University (NC) |
Day 3
Round (Pick) | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
Rd. 11 (Pick 338) | Michael Carpenter | P | Madison College |
Rd. 12 (Pick 368) | Christian Becerra | P | California |
Rd. 13 (Pick 398) | Xavier Kolhosser | P | St. Johns |
Rd. 14 (Pick 428) | Jacob Kisting | P | Bradley |
Rd. 15 (Pick 458) | Cole Peschl | P | Campbell University |
Rd. 16 (Pick 488) | Aidan Haugh | P | North Carolina |
Rd. 17 (Pick 518) | Jay Thomason | 3B | Air Force |
Rd. 18 (Pick 548) | Michael Ross | P | Samford |
Rd. 19 (Pick 578) | Logan Whitaker | P | NC State |
Rd. 20 (Pick 608) | Merit Jones | P | Utah |
Round 1, Pick 21: Kaelen Culpepper, SS/Kansas State
Grade: B+
Culpepper was drafted as a shortstop but that's probably not where he ends up. Unlike Walker Jenkins last season, the Twins opted for a college player which means we might see a quicker timeline for Culpepper reaching the majors, but his runway is still long.
We'll have to see what he does in the minors but he's capable of playing second and third, which means we could see him as depth behind Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, and Brooks Lee. That's not a bad position for Culpepper or the Twins to be in.
In total there will be 20 rounds where teams make selections, and the Twins have shown a knack for landing the right guys. Beyond top talent like Lee, Jenkins, Royce Lewis, and Byron Buxton, Minnesota has mined the draft for gold with players like David Festa, Trevor Larnach, Jose Miranda, and Bailey Ober.
Even in recent seasons the Twins have seemingly landed some great pieces for the future, something having six Top 100 prospects in the latest rankings goes to show.
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