Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #23 Michael McCardell

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #23 | Michael McCardell

Position | Pitcher

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | April 13, 1985 (West Chester, Pennsylvania)

School | Kutztown University

Height | 6'5''

Weight | 220 lbs.

2009 Ranking | 19




Breakdown
Mike McCardell was drafted by the Twins in the 6th round in 2007. He attended Division II Kutztown University where he holds the school record in saves with 21. The Twins drafted him as a starter and he's handled the full transition just fine. The summer he was drafted, McCardell split time between the Gulf Coast League and Appalachian League. Between the two teams, McCardell was 7-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts).

In 2008, McCardell continued his success with low Single-A Beloit. The 23-year-old went 9-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 22 games (21 starts). In 135 1/3 innings, McCardell made 139 batters strikeout while only surrendering 25 walks (one of which was intentional). He was slowed up by an elbow injury, which is why he didn't face any Florida State League batters that season. He was finally promoted to Advanced-A Ft. Myers in 2009 where he made 17 starts with the Miracle. The 24-year-old was later promoted to Double-A New Britain where he made another nine starts. Between the two stops, McCardell was 14-8 with a 3.96 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 142 1/3 innings.

After the 2009 season, McCardell made three starts in the Arizona Fall League. He gave up five runs in his last outing, which bloated his ERA to 7.27. McCardell has great control and shouldn't take too much more time before being promoted to Triple-A Rochester.

2009 Statistics

          Level      W     L     ERA     IP     K     BB     WHIP     FIP

          A-         9     6    3.93   94.0    78     16     1.21    3.79
          AA         5     2    4.10   48.1    40     16     1.26    3.80

2010 Outlook
McCardell will start the season in Double-A New Britian but should push for a promotion at some point during the season.

Pitching Repertoire

• Fastball (2 & 4-seam) (88-92)
  
• Curveball
• Change-up

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2011

Blog Note

I'm having computer problems which will probably take several days to resolve. In the meantime I'm confined to a painfully slow laptop. That won't effect the prospect list much, but I won't be able to post #23 until sometime tomorrow (which is when I'll also post #22).

Also, I wanted to say thanks to everyone that has been reading lately. And feel free to send me an email or follow me on Twitter.

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #24 Trevor Plouffe

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #24 | Trevor Plouffe

Position | Shortstop

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | June 15, 1986 (West Hills, California)

School | Crespi Carmelite High School

Height | 6'2''

Weight | 195 lbs.

2009 Ranking | 15




Breakdown
Trevor Plouffe was taken by the Twins with the 20th overall pick in the 2004 draft. Plouffe and the Twins quickly agreed to a $1.5 million signing bonus which allowed him to play in 60 games with the Elizabethton Twins as an 18-year-old. The young shortstop, handled himself well hitting .283/.340/.380 with 13 extra-base hits. The Twins wasted no time moving Plouffe through the system. In 2005, he hit .223/.300/.345 with 13 home runs with the Single-A Beloit Snappers. With total blindness, the Twins continued to promote him and in 2006, Plouffe played 125 games with High-A Fort Myers. The 20-year-old hit a disappointing .246/.333/.347 with 34 extra-base hits.

Continuing their trend, the Twins looked past Plouffe's numbers and continued to move him through the organization. In 2007, Plouffe played in Double-A New Britain where he put up the best numbers of his career. The 21-year-old hit .274/.326/.410 with 48 extra-base hits in 497 at-bats with the Rock Cats. Much like Luke Hughes, the Twins had Plouffe start off the 2008 season in New Britain, despite his success in '07. Plouffe hit .269/.325/.410 with 23 extra-base hits in 227 at-bats. He was promoted to Triple-A Rochester in mid-June where he hit .256/.292/.420 with 26 extra-base hits in 250 at-bats. Plouffe played all of last season in Rochester hitting .260/.313/.407 with 38 extra-base hits in 430 at-bats.

Plouffe is a doubles-hitting machine, having hit 145 through 2,562 career at bats. It's important to note that Plouffe has always been younger than his competition, which isn't an excuse for his career .256/.318/.385 hitting line, but it needs to be taken into consideration when evaluating him. His defense still needs work, but he has a great arm and decent range. He'll spend another full season in Rochester this season, but I believe that he'll eventually be promoted at some point.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR   wRC+

          AAA      118    477    .260    .313    .407      38     10     92

2010 Outlook
Plouffe will be in Rochester for most of the season and I expect him with the Twins as a September call-up.

Video



Estimated Time of Arrival
2010

Quick Note

Seth Stohs of Seth Speaks will be hosting a special two-hour Pre-Twins Fest Podcast tonight. Slatted to appear are John Sickels and a slew of top prospects and current Twins players. Here's the appearance schedule (all times central):

8:00 - 8:05 - Introduction
8:05 - 8:20 - John Sickels
8:20 - 8:35 - Pat Neshek
8:35 - 8:50 - Joe Benson
8:50 - 9:05 - Carlos Gutierrez
9:05 - 9:10 - Catch up
9:10 - 9:25 - Kyle Gibson
9:25 - 9:35 - Open
9:35 - 9:45 - Denard Span
9:45 - 9:55 - Jeff Manship
9:55 - 10:00 - Wrap-Up

This is a huge thing and I really hope everyone that can tune into it does.

And speaking of Stohs, make sure to pre-order your copy of his Minnesota Twins 2010 Prospect Handbook. Click here for more details.

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #25 Luke Hughes

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #25 | Luke Hughes

Position | Third Base

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | August 2, 1984 (Perth, Australia)

School | Hampton High School

Height | 5'11''

Weight | 205 lbs.

2009 Ranking | 11




Breakdown
Luke Hughes signed with the Twins as an undrafted free agent out of Australia back in 2002. He began his career in rookie ball, playing for the Gulf Coast League Twins and Elizabethton Twins in 2003 and 2004. Between the two teams, Hughes hit .296/.351/.423 in 331 at-bats. In 2005, he continued to move through the Twins system, with Low-A Beloit being his next destination. Hughes hit a measly .257/.319/.390 with a 3-1 K/BB ratio but was still promoted. He finished the season with High-A Fort Myers and looked completely overmatched in 23 games, hitting .202/.222/.262. In 2006, Hughes remained in the Florida State League and had a sub-.600 OPS in 95 games with the Miracle.

Despite his struggles in Fort Myers, the Twins continued to promote Hughes through the organization at a steady pace. In 2007, Hughes rebounded in Double-A New Britain, hitting .283/.356/.438 with 28 extra-base hits. He also cut his K/BB ratio down to 2-1, which still isn't good by any standards, but is a notable improvement. After posting the best numbers of his career, the Twins decided to hold Hughes back in Double-A for the 2008 season. Hughes responded by hitting a robust .319/.385/.551 with 15 home runs in 70 games with the Rock Cats. Eight of Hughes' 15 home runs with the Rock Cats came in the first month of the season. Injuries hampered his arrival time to Triple-A Rochester, but he eventually got there and hit .283/.325/.453 with three home runs in 29 games. In all, Hughes finished the 2008 season with a combined .309/.369/.524 with 44 extra-base hits in 391 at-bats. Hughes was given the reigns at third base with the Red Wings in 2009, but he strained his oblique in June. He rehabbed with the GCL Twins and when he was deemed fit to return, he was demoted to New Britain where he could start at third base everyday. He finished the season hitting a combined .254/.335/.454 with 40 extra-base hits in 346 at-bats.

The biggest thing holding Hughes back is his glove. Having played throughout both the infield and outfield, Hughes still doesn't have a "set" position. The Twins seemed committed to making Hughes a third baseman in '09, which is why he went back to Double-A. Danny Valencia had since been called up to play third base with the Red Wings in Hughes' absence. Hughes doesn't belong back in New Britain, which means the Twins will have to find room for Hughes somewhere in Rochester.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR   wRC+

          R (GCL)    4     15    .273    .467    .273       0      0    145
          AA        56    229    .250    .320    .445      24      6    106
          AAA       37    157    .259    .344    .481      16      6    128

2010 Outlook
Hughes needs to be in Rochester in 2010. Regardless of the position, Hughes needs to be in the Red Wings lineup on a daily basis.

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2010

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #26 Rob Delaney

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #26 | Rob Delaney

Position | Pitcher

Bats/Throws | Left/Right

Born | September 8, 1984 (Westwood, New Jersey)

School | St. Johns University

Height | 6'3''

Weight | 235 lbs.

2009 Ranking | 16




Breakdown
After three unspectacular seasons at St. John's University, Rob "Big Daddy" Delaney signed with the Twins as an undrafted free agent on June 19, 2006. That summer Delaney pitched 38 innings between the Gulf Coast League and Florida State League, posting a combined 4.73 ERA. In 2007, Delaney began making a name for himself with the Beloit Snappers. The 22-year-old reliever set a Beloit team record with 28 saves. He was later promoted to High-A Fort Myers and finished off the season with a combined 1.02 ERA, 35 saves and 83 strikeouts in 70 innings.

Delaney's success continued in 2008, posting a 1.23 ERA in 46 appearances evenly split between Ft. Myers and Double-A New Britain. In 2009, many believed that Delaney was ready for a promotion to Triple-A Rochester, but Delaney still started the season back with New Britain. He was eventually called up to Rochester in early June and between the two stops, Delaney had a 3.44 ERA in 83 2/3 innings. Delaney's numbers in Rochester weren't as nearly impressive as his numbers in New Britain. In fact, he only had one month with the Red Wings where he posted an ERA under 5.28.

Throughout his career, Delaney has maintained outstanding control with only 49 walks in 257 2/3 innings pitched. He isn't a hard thrower, but he has a great slider, which compliments his low-90's fastball. Pitching coach Steve Mintz worked with Delaney when he was with the Snappers and Miracle, has been credited with altering his slider grip, which has given it more bite. He also has a change-up, but his slider is his bread and butter pitch. Delaney was added to the 40-man roster in the off-season and will likely see time in the Majors at some point in 2010.

2009 Statistics

          Level      W      L      ERA      IP      K      BB      WHIP     FIP

          AA         1      1     2.00    36.0     40       6      1.06    1.92
          AAA        7      3     4.53    47.2     38      15      1.22    3.91

2010 Outlook
Delaney will begin the 2010 season in Triple-A Rochester, but he could be one of the first pitchers promoted if the Twins need bullpen help.

Pitching Repertoire

• Fastball (90-92)
  
• Slider
  
• Change-up

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2010

Changing a common approach

With the burdensome thought of Jason Pridie making the roster, many believe that the Twins are in need of another outfielder. So when oft-injured outfielder Eric Byrnes was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks last week, John Bonnes of Twins Geek immediately made his sales pitch for Byrnes to come to Minnesota.

Bonnes puts forward that Pridie is not someone we want to see batting a lot. I agree. But I believe that the Twins still consider Jason Kubel their fourth outfielder, which means Pridie will only see action when Denard Span needs a rest or late in games as a defensive replacement. Byrnes will receive $11 million this season from the Diamondbacks and it's assumed that he'll sign for the veteran minimum in order to latch on with a team in hopes of signing a multi-year contract in free agency next year. So low-risk, high-reward? Right? Maybe not.

The biggest (and only) quarrel I have with the proposal of bringing in Byrnes is Bonnes' belief that the Twins need to bring in someone who can continue to push and challenge Delmon Young. Have we forgotten all of the enormous pressure Young has had on him since coming to Minnesota? When dealing with young players, it's common for people to buy into the belief that they need to be pushed. But at the same time, we need to keep in mind that everyone responds differently to pressure. It's been noted in the past that Young is a fairly sensitive person. Pushing him hasn't worked up to this point. so lets try giving him a little room to breathe and allow him to feel comfortable and even instill a little faith in him.

The Rays showed faith in Young when they took him as the first overall pick in the 2003 draft. Throughout his time with the organization, Young's playing time was never in question and it was up him to motivate himself and to perform well, it was expected of him, but he knew there weren't going to be ramifications if he went on an 0-20 skid. When he came over to the Twins, he was a young and immature 22-year-old who had little discipline throughout his time with the Rays.

Immediately, both the Twins and media put a lot of pressure on him. That carried into last season when trade rumors and quotes from manager Ron Gardenhire were circulating the internet. Gardenhire indirectly said that his preferred outfield was Carlos Gomez, Michael Cuddyer and Span. It appeared evident that the Twins grew sour of Young in just a year's time.

Young went on to split time with Gomez for the majority of the season. He had a great second-half, hitting .300/.322/.502 with 21 extra-base hits (including nine home runs). He stepped-up and was one of our best hitters following Justin Morneau's season-ending back injury. At that time, the Twins went with a steady dose of Young, Span and Kubel in the outfield.

Maybe it was comforting to Young that the Twins felt that they'd rather have Jose Morales in the lineup instead of Gomez. Who knows? Over his last 21 games of the season he added 23 points to his batting average, 24 points to his on-base percentage and 46 points to his slugging percentage.

Following the season, rumblings of Young being non-tendered were quickly shot down by the front office. The Twins eventually traded Gomez to Milwaukee for shortstop J.J. Hardy, all but guaranteeing Young a starting role in 2010. Could this be Young's year to finally take that step forward? Maybe. But the front office certainly looks as though they have faith in Young.

I'm not saying this method is right or that Bonnes' ideas are wrong. I would just like to see the Twins change their approach with Young. Pushing him hasn't worked up to this point so instead, give him comfort and maybe something good will come of it.

And with all of that said, I'd rather see the Twins sign a bench bat who can DH when Kubel is needed in the outfield.

Who could that bench bat be?

The Twins are reportedly interested in signing Jim Thome. The fact that they are interested in him shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. Up to this point, I haven't really thought about the Twins adding a bench bat, despite having a feeble bench. Thome would allow Kubel to move to the outfield when necessary and the Twins wouldn't have to settle for a poor replacement DH.

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #27 Josmil Pinto

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #27 | Josmil Pinto

Position | Catcher/Designated Hitter

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | March 31, 1989 (San Joaquin, Venezuela)

School | U.E. Franciscana Kumbaya

Height | 5'11''

Weight | 184 lbs.

2009 Ranking | Not Ranked




Breakdown
The Twins signed Venezuelan-native Josmil Pinto as an undrafted free agent on February 16, 2006. He spent all of the 2007 season in the Dominican Summer League and put up an atrocious .193/.327/.269 hitting line in 171 at-bats but was charged with eight errors from behind the plate. The Twins found themselves in need of catching help in 2008, so they brought Pinto to Florida to start for the Gulf Coast League Twins. He adjusted quickly and hit .329/.394/.541 with 13 extra-base hits in 85 at-bats. He continued to struggle from behind the plate, this time allowing charged with seven errors in just 24 games.

In 2009, the Twins had Pinto split time between catcher and DH for the Elizabethton Twins. His offense continued to improve, hitting .332/.387/.610 with 29 extra-base hits in 205 at-bats. He lead all Appalachian League hitters with 13 home runs and a .610 slugging percentage.

Defensive concerns aside, Pinto's offense makes him one of the most intriguing prospects to wach for in 2010. He made strides with his arm in '09, throwing out 12 of 14 base runners after throwing out just six of 39 base runners in '08. Pinto is still young enough to be patient with him, but the Twins may have to accept that he isn't going to be a serviceable catcher, and either try him at first base or just leave him at DH.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR   wRC+

          R (ELZ)   53    230    .332    .387    .610      29     13    165

2010 Outlook
Pinto will be in Beloit this year where he'll likely spend most of his time as the DH (Chris Herrmann is slated to start at catcher). If the Twins accept that he has little-to-no defensive value, he may be able to hit his way to Ft. Myers before the end of the year.

Video
Not Available

Estimated Time of Arrival
2013

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #28 Steve Singleton

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #28 | Steve Singleton

Position | Second Base

Bats/Throws | Left/Right

Born | September 12, 1985 (San Francisco, California)

School | University of San Diego

Height | 5'11''

Weight | 180 lbs.

2009 Ranking | 31




Breakdown
Steve Singleton was drafted by the Twins in 2006 after three years at the University of San Diego. The talented shortstop signed shortly thereafter and hit .340 in 156 plate appearances with Elizabethton in the summer of 2006. He moved up to Single-A Beloit in 2007 and hit a disappointing .271/.294/.346 in 391 plate appearances. In an interview with Seth Stohs, Singleton admitted that he was hampered with a shoulder injury throughout the 2007 season. He didn't blame his poor offensive production on the injury, although we can safely assume it did impact his bat, he did say why the Twins ultimately moved him from shortstop to second base, "my arm just couldn't handle shortstop."

He returned to Beloit in 2008 and was promoted to Ft. Myers after hitting .302/.348/.421 through 259 plate appearances. He spent the rest of the '08 season and beginning of the 2009 season in Ft. Myers hitting .281/.348/.437 in 608 plate appearances. He was promoted to Double-A New Britain in July after the organization designated utility man Danny Berg for assignment. Singleton finished off the season strong with the Rock Cats, hitting .291/.319/.418 in 241 plate appearances while switching between second base and shortstop.

After the season, Singleton was invited to participate in the Arizona Fall League. He primarily played shortstop and hit .289/.291/.500 in 19 games with the Mesa Solar Sox. As his days in Arizona were coming to a close, the Twins had to decide whether or not to add Singleton to the 40-man roster. They took the the chance of leaving him off, making him vulnerable of being taken, but the gamble ultimately paid off in the end as the Twins retained Singleton. Despite a fluctuating on-base percentage, Singleton has been a good hitter when healthy. His defense at second base is outstanding and he is also an adequate defender at both shortstop and second base.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR   wRC+

          A+        80    235    .269    .329    .424      28      5    115
          AA        46    241    .291    .319    .418      15      1    100

2010 Outlook
Despite his success in the Arizona Fall League, Steve Singleton will still start the 2010 season in New Britain. Unless the Twins make room in an already crowded Rochester infield, Singleton may be stuck in New Britain all year.

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2011

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #29 Tom Stuifbergen

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #29 | Tom Stuifbergen

Position | Pitcher

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | September 26, 1988 (Breda, Netherlands)

School | Not Available

Height | 6'3''

Weight | 200 lbs.

2009 Ranking | Not Ranked




Breakdown
Holland-native Tom Stuifbergen signed with the Twins as an undrafted free agent on August 16, 2006. He signed thanks in large part to the recommendation of ex-Twins farmhand Alexander Smit's father. After pitching well in a limited role in 2007, Stuifbergen missed all of the 2008 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. He turned heads at the World Baseball Classic last season, pitching four shutout innings against the Dominican Republic en route to advancing to the second round. He reported to the Appalachian Rookie League in June and was one of the only bright spots in the Elizabethton Twins rotation. He doesn't throw hard, but he has outstanding control and can induce a lot of ground balls.

2009 Statistics

          Level      W      L      ERA      IP      K      BB      WHIP     FIP

          R (ELZ)    5      2     3.28    79.2     69       6      1.07    2.35
          A+         0      0    10.12     2.2      3       1      2.25    2.07

2010 Outlook
Stuifbergen has shown that he has what it takes to be successful in rookie ball, now it's time to see what he can do in Single-A. Hopefully he can remain healthy all year and continue to progress.

Pitching Repertoire

• Fastball (2 & 4 seam) (87-91)
  
• Curveball
  
• Change-up

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2013

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #30 Michael Tonkin

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #30 | Michael Tonkin

Position | Pitcher

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | November 19, 1989 (Palmdale, California)

School | Palmdale High School

Height | 6'7''

Weight | 215 lbs.

2009 Ranking | Not Ranked




Breakdown
In 2008, the Twins spent around $1.5 million to bring in four hurling teenagers, including Michael Tonkin. Taken in the 30th round of the 2008 draft, the Twins persuaded him from playing baseball at USC with a $230,000 signing bonus. The 6-foot-7-inch pitcher showed a lot of promise in high school hitting 90 mph with regularity. So far, he may be best known to fans as Jason Kubel's brother-in-law, but he's on the right path to making people remember him for his performance instead. In 2009, Tonkin went 3-4 with a 3.62 ERA in 54 2/3 innings in the Gulf Coast League. Those numbers aren't fantastic, but when you look past two rough starts in July, he actually had a great season. He hit his spots, kept the ball on the ground and struck out 60 batters. He allowed two home runs in 2009 and both came in consecutive innings of the same game. Look for Tonkin to continue to get better in 2010, where he should be apart of a very talented Elizabethton Twins rotation.

2009 Statistics

Level      W     L     ERA     IP      K     BB     WHIP     FIP

R (GCL)    3     4    3.62   54.2     60      9     1.17    2.19

2010 Outlook
The most likely course of action would now be for Tonkin to stay in Extended Spring Training until June when the Rookie League teams begin playing. Tonkin will then pitch for the Elizabethton Twins this season.

Pitching Repertoire

• Fastball (90-92)
  
• Slider
• Change-up

Video
Click Here

Estimated Time of Arrival
2015

Twins avoid arbitration altogether

The Twins were busy yesterday, coming to terms with all of their arbitration-eligible players. Here's the list of players with the salary they'll be receiving in 2010:

Player             Salary         

Carl Pavano        $7 million
J.J. Hardy         $5.1 million
Matt Guerrier      $3.15 million
Delmon Young       $2.6 million
Jesse Crain        $2 million
Francisco Liriano  $1.6 million
Brendan Harris     *$1.45 million
Pat Neshek         $625,000
Total              $23,525,000

* = Brendan Harris agreed to a two-year, $3.20 million contract.

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #31 Andrei Lobanov

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #31 | Andrei Lobanov

Position | Pitcher

Bats/Throws | Left/Left

Born | January 25, 1990 (Moscow, Russia)

School | None

Height | 6'3''

Weight | 171 lbs.

2009 Ranking | 50




Breakdown
Andrei Lobanov signed with the Twins as a non-drafted free agent in August of 2007. He's spent two years in the Gulf Coast League, but he showed significant improvements in 2009, which is why he has moved up from no. 50 (his ranking on this list last year). Lobanov is a lanky southpaw with impeccable command. In 2009, Lobanov didn't walk a batter until the final game of the season. He also struck out 35 batters in 22 innings of work. He will spend the 2010 season in Elizabethton.

2009 Statistics

         Level      W      L      ERA      IP      K      BB      WHIP      FIP

         R (GCL)    2      1     0.82    22.0     35       1      0.68     0.75

2010 Outlook
Lobanov will likely spend the entire 2010 season in Elizabethton's bullpen.

Pitching Repertoire

• Fastball (84-88)
• Curveball
• Change-up
  

Video
None

Estimated Time of Arrival
2015

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #32 Ben Tootle

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #32 | Ben Tootle

Position | Pitcher

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | January 9, 1988 (Hamburg, New York)

School | Jacksonville State University

Height | 6'1''

Weight | 180 lbs.

2009 Ranking | Not Ranked




Breakdown
The Twins drafted Ben Tootle in the third round of the 2009 draft. In his three years at Jacksonville State University (the college in Alabama not Florida), Tootle appeared in 44 games, posting a 19-8 record and 4.82 ERA. For the most part, Tootle struggled in the Ohio Valley Conference but thanks to his high velocity and great showing in the 2008 Cape Cod league, Tootle was considered a sure-lock first round pick heading into the 2009 season. Tootle caught a stomach virus last Spring, which made him lose both 15 lbs. and a month of action. He played well afterward, but the virus made his stock to fall well out of the first round. Tootle was used as a starter in college, but given his "stuff" he may be best suited for the bullpen. He has two "plus" pitches including a fastball, which has been clocked at 98 mph, and a slider. He has a change-up, but it will need improvement.

2009 Statistics

         Level      W      L      ERA      IP      K      BB      WHIP     SV

         R (ELZ)    0      0     0.00     6.1      1       2      0.95      2

2010 Outlook
Like Matt Bashore, Tootle will likely start the year with the Beloit Snappers but should finish with the Ft. Myers Miracle if he has a strong first half.

Pitching Repertoire

• Fastball (93-98)
• Slider
  
• Change-up
  

Video
None

Estimated Time of Arrival
2012

(Photo courtesy of Mack's Mets)

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #33 Matt Bashore

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #33 | Matt Bashore

Position | Pitcher

Bats/Throws | Left/Left

Born | April 6, 1988 (Tipp City, Ohio)

School | Indiana University

Height | 6'2''

Weight | 200 lbs.

2009 Ranking | Not Ranked




Breakdown
The Twins drafted Matt Bashore in the supplemental round of the 2009 draft. Prior to being drafted, Bashore threw a career high 95 innings at Indiana University, he then threw just two innings with the Twins after inking a $751,550 signing bonus. The Twins acquired the 46th overall pick for losing Dennys Reyes in free agency. Out of the four pitchers the Twins drafted in the first three rounds, Bashore was the lone southpaw. The Twins scouted Bashore in the 2008 Cape Cod League and some drew early comparisons to Glen Perkins. Bashore is a projectable pitcher. His repertoire is equipped with a good fastball that reached 95 mph last Spring (but generally sits in the low 90's), a hard slider, a good change-up and improving curveball.

2009 Statistics

         Level      W      L      ERA      IP      K      BB      WHIP      FIP

         R (ELZ)    0      0     0.00     2.0      2       0      1.50     1.20

2010 Outlook
Bashore will probably begin the 2010 season in the Beloit Snappers rotation. If all goes well, expect a mid-season promotion to Fort Myers.

Pitching Repertoire

• Fastball (89-92)
• Slider
  
• Curveball
• Change-up
  

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2012

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #34 Max Kepler-Rozycki

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #34 | Max Kepler-Rozycki

Position | Outfield

Bats/Throws | Left/Left

Born | February 10, 1993 (Stuttgart, Germany)

School | South Fort Myers High School

Height | 6'4''

Weight | 200 lbs.

2009 Ranking| Not Ranked





Breakdown
The Twins signed Max Kepler-Rozycki on July 3rd, 2009 out of Germany for $775,000. At just 16-years-old, Kepler-Rozycki is widely considered the best prospect to ever come out of Europe. Last summer, one scout said that Kepler was, "the toolsiest kid we've ever had in Europe, no question." Last week, Baseball America released its annual Top 10 Prospects for the Minnesota Twins organization. The list included Kepler-Rozycki as the 10th best prospect. In fact, he ranked higher than outfielders Rene Tosoni, Joe Benson and Chris Parmelee. I have no problem with that rank, however given the amount of information that we (I) have on Kepler-Rozycki and the fact that we have little to base it on, I can't justify ranking him higher. He certainly has a lot of potential, but Europe isn't a hotbed for baseball talent and I don't have a strong enough sense of how his numbers could transfer to the U.S. When dealing with prospects, say from the Dominican Republic or South America, it's easier to get a grasp on those players being as those regions produce a lot more baseball players. Nonetheless, Kepler-Rozycki has all five tools: hitting, running, power, throwing and fielding. He's drawn comparisons to former Major League outfielder Shawn Green for his smooth swing and skill set. He'll spend the entire 2010 season and perhaps the 2011 season in Ft. Myers. Don't forget, he'll be 17-years-old in February and still hasn't graduated High School. Although a lot of attention will be on Kepler-Rozycki this season. We'll see how he handles his first season of professional baseball in the states. He has a lot of potential and could fly up the prospect rankings next season.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH    HR    FLD%

          Germany   29    121    .444    .512    .646      15     1    .980

2010 Outlook
Kepler-Rozycki will begin the 2010 season in Extended Spring Training before latching on with the Gulf Coast League Twins in June. He'll spend the entire season there.

Video

Click Here

Estimated Time of Arrival
2016

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #35 Oswaldo Arcia

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #35 | Oswaldo Arcia

Position | Outfield

Bats/Throws | Switch/Right

Born | May 9, 1991 (Anaco, Venezuela)

School | Not Available

Height | 6'0''

Weight | 210 lbs.

2009 Ranking| Not Ranked





Breakdown
Oswaldo Arcia signed with the Twins as a non-drafted free agent on July 4, 2007. He spent all of the 2008 season in the Dominican Summer League where he hit .293/.343/.432 with 20 extra-base hits in 61 games. Arcia made his way to the states in 2009 and hit .275/.337/.455 with the Gulf Coast League Twins. Arcia has an athletic build and runs well, although he's best suited for a corner outfield position. He has a good approach at the plate and looks as though his game is well ahead of his age. When looking at his numbers and intangibles, he reminds me a lot of former Twins prospect Alex Romero, with more power. That, at least to me, is great. The Twins will move him slowly, but Arcia is a player to remember.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR   wRC+

          R (GCL)   45    187    .275    .337    .455      18      5    142

2010 Outlook
Arcia will begin the 2010 season in Extended Spring Training and then join the Elizabethton Twins in June when the Appalachian League starts. If Beloit is in need of outfield help, Arcia could see time in the Midwest League in 2010.

Video
None

Estimated Time of Arrival
2014

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #36 Brian Dinkelman

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #36 | Brian Dinkelman

Position | Second Base/Outfield

Bats/Throws | Left/Right

Born | November 10, 1983 (Centralia, Illinois)

School | McKendree College

Height | 5'11''

Weight | 195 lbs.

2009 Ranking | 36





Breakdown
The Twins drafted Brian Dinkelman in the 8th round of the 2006 draft. Dinkelman has a good bat and approach to the plate, which is evident by his 174/231 BB/K ratio through his first 1,564 Minor League at-bats. Dinkelman was promoted to New Britain midway through the 2008 season, but struggled by hitting .247/.299/.369 in 52 games. He began the 2009 season back in New Britain and had arguably his most productive season thus far. Unfortunately, Dinkelman was hurt by a crowded infield in Rochester, which resulted in him staying in New Britain all season. He has played good defense at second base in the past, but the Twins have decided to move Dinkelman to the outfield in 2009. This will allow him to not only get to Rochester, but compete for the Twins' fourth outfield position in Spring Training. And speaking of which, Dinkelman was invited to Spring Training by the Twins. At this point, his age will be the only thing that will hold him back.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR   wRC+

          AA       129    459    .296    .383    .440      48      8    130

2010 Outlook
Brian Dinkelman will spend the 2010 season in the Rochester outfield where he may occasionally receive stats at second base.

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2010

Baseball America's Top 10 Twins Prospects

Baseball America released their Minnesota Twins Top 10 Prospect list for 2010 yesterday. Here's how it looks:

1. Aaron Hicks, of
2. Wilson Ramos, c
3. Kyle Gibson, rhp
4. Miguel Sano, ss/3b
5. Ben Revere, of
6. Danny Valencia, 3b
7. Carlos Gutierrez, rhp
8. Angel Morales, of
9. David Bromberg, rhp
10. Max Kepler, of

The most debatable prospect is probably Max Kepler, but Baseball America bought into the hype that there's meaning behind Kepler being the "toolsiest" player to ever come out of Europe. I understand that there is a lot of hype surrounding him, but I haven't been able to find enough reasoning to rate him near the top 10. To me, being the "toolsiest" player from Europe is like saying that you're the smartest cast member of "Jersey Shore." It just doesn't mean much. But I'm sure he has great potential and I look forward to him proving me wrong.

Besides Kepler, I don't really have any problem with the rest of the list. Andrew Kneeland of Twins Target doesn't agree with Carlos Gutierrez being ranked that high, and I don't completely disagree with him. But at the same time, I do think Gutierrez has the potential is about as good as anyone else's in the system, other than maybe Kyle Gibson.

Jorge Polanco, who signed with the Twins out of the Dominican Republic to a $750,000 signing bonus last summer, was ranked as being the "Best Defensive Infielder" in the system. It's obviously a tough pill to swallow knowing that a 16-year-old kid that hasn't played a game in the United States is the best defensive infielder in the system. I personally don't like the ranking, but that's not to say that I disagree with it. I'm sure he has great defense, but it says a lot about the current group of infielder's that are already in the system.

And in case you're wondering, Polanco did not make my 20010 Top 50 Twins Prospect list. He was on the cusp, and I ultimately decided to leave him off. But in case you're wondering, here's what I've heard about him:

He's a good defender, who shouldn't have a problem staying at shortstop. At the plate, he hits well from both sides of the plate with a solid line drive swing. He stays aggressive but overall, his offensive skills are raw.

And before you leave, make sure to check out these links:

• Brian Pietrzak's 2010 Top 20 Twins Prospects can be read here, here, here, here and here.

• Twinkie Town's 2010 Top 50 Prospect list is now up to 38. Click here to vote.

• Andrew Kneeland's 2010 Top 50 Twins Prospect list is now complete. Click here to see it.

• And finally, make sure to check out Chris Jaffe's guest post over at AaronGleeman.com. Jaffe gave an excerpt from his upcoming book, "Evaluating Baseball's Managers, 1876-2008." The excerpt contains the section dedicated to Tom Kelly.

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #37 Steven Tolleson

Edit: Steven Tolleson was released by the Twins on 2/1/2010.

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #37 | Steven Tolleson

Position | Second Base/Shortstop

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | November 1, 1983 (Spartanburg, South Carolina)

School | University of South Carolina

Height | 5'11''

Weight | 185 lbs.

2009 Ranking| 50




Breakdown
The Twins drafted Steven Tolleson in the 5th round of the 2005 draft. After what many considered to be a "breakout" year in 2008, Tolleson had high expectations heading into 2009. He battled injuries in Spring Training and Rochester's infield was already crowded to begin with. So as a result, Tolleson began the season with Double-A New Britain. After 38 games with the Rock Cats, Tolleson moved up to Triple-A Rochester where he hit .270/.338/.375 through 92 games. He's a career .276/.368/.400 hitter in 1,800+ professional at bats. His defense is below average and he's not a great runner. Tolleson doesn't do any one thing great, but he should be a serviceable utility player.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR    wRC+

          AA        38    151    .258    .343    .391      14      2     109
          AAA       92    352    .270    .338    .375      24      6      96

2010 Outlook
Tolleson will begin the 2009 season with the Rochester Red Wings. Whether it is in the middle infield or the outfield, he will be donning a Red Wings jersey. He'll probably be given an opportunity to make the Opening Day Roster and will probably be told he has a "chance", but he'll likely start in Rochester. He should make it up to Minnesota at some point in the season.

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2010

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #38 Santos Arias

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #38 | Santos Arias

Position | Pitcher

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | March 17, 1987 (La Romana, Dominican Republic)

School | Not Available

Height | 5'11''

Weight | 162 lbs.

2009 Ranking | 42




Breakdown
Santos Arias signed with the Twins as a non-drafted free agent on February 9, 2005. Originally thought of as a starter, Arias developed fatigue while pitching for the Beloit Snappers in 2008 and was then sent to the bullpen. He made nine starts in 2009, but made another 27 appearances as a reliever. Arias stranded a lot of runners, leaving nearly 80% on base in 2009 and only gave up one home run. I personally like him in the relief role, he reminds me of Alex Burnett. If given the proper time in the bullpen, he should have an easier time learning to perfect his pitches and hopefully strike more guys out. He's small and doesn't strike enough guys out for me to give him a higher ranking, especially when there's a good chance he'll remain in the bullpen. But if he does raise his numbers, which I think he will, he should be able to fly up the rankings quickly.

2009 Statistics

Level      W      L      ERA      IP      K      BB      WHIP      FIP

A+         6      3     2.15   100.2     73      27      1.23     2.88

2010 Outlook
Arias will likely spend all of the 2010 season in the New Britain bullpen while making spot-starts when needed.

Pitching Repertoire

• Fastball
  
• Curveball
• Slider
• Change-up
  

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2012

Winfree signs with Yankees

As first reported by Seth Stohs a couple weeks back, (former) Twins minor leaguer David Winfree has signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees. He will be playing against his former Rochester Red Wings while with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in 2010. Winfree played with the Twins for seven years after being drafted by the Twins in the 13th round of the 2003 draft. He won the Twins' Minor League Player of the Year in 2005 while hitting .294/.329/.452 with 31 doubles, 5 triples, 16 home runs and 101 RBI with the Beloit Snappers. He then spent the next four years between Fort Myers, New Britain (twice) and Rochester. In 2008, Winfree was the 25th ranked player in my Top 50 Twins Prospects list. Last year, he ranked 30th.

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #39 Ramon Santana

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #39 | Ramon Santana

Position | Second Base/Shortstop/Third Base

Bats/Throws | Right/Right

Born | June 20, 1986 (La Romana, Venezuela)

School | Not Available

Height | 5'9''

Weight | 152 lbs.

2009 Ranking | Not Ranked





Breakdown
Ramoncito Santana signed with the Twins as a non-drafted free agent in 2004. Santana played great in the Dominican Summer League as a 20-year-old in 2006. But when he began playing in the States in 2007, Santana looked over matched. He's been hampered with injuries throughout his career, but that didn't stop him from having a breakout 2009 season. Santana hit a career-best .295/.383/.448 between 386 at-bats between Beloit and New Britain. Santana also walked 50 times, which kept his on-base percentage near .400 all season. His first half numbers were much better than his second half numbers, but he continued to be a dominating presence in the middle of the Snappers lineup. Santana is extremely small, but he is an average-to-below-average runner. He's also a subpar defender, although he has spent his career switching between second base, shortstop, third base and has even spent time in both left and right field. Santana has shown what he can do in the Midwest League but he'll have to step-it-up in the Florida State League this season.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR    wRC+

          A-       103    434    .296    .384    .453      37      9     133
          AA         4     17    .267    .353    .333       1      0      98

2010 Outlook
Santana will be playing somewhere in the Ft. Myers infield.

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2013

(Picture courtesy of Nathan Bortz from Border Ball)

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #40 Estarlin De Los Santos

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #40 | Estarlin De Los Santos

Position | Second Base/Shortstop

Bats/Throws | Switch/Right

Born | January 20, 1987 (Villa Mella, Dominican Republic)

School | Not Available

Height | 5'10''

Weight | 165 lbs.

2009 Ranking | Not Ranked





Breakdown
The Twins signed Estarlin De Los Santos as an non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in the Winter of 2005. De Los Santos isn't great offensively, but his defense and speed give scouts plenty to feel postive about. In 2009, De Los Santos played in the Florida State League which is also known as a pitcher's paradise. De Los Santos used the field dimensions to his favor and the speedy infielder legged out seven triples. De Los Santos has had problems with his base stealing, but if/when he progresses in that area, he and teammate Ben Revere will give teams fits on the base paths. After the '09 season, the Twins rewarded De Los Santos by adding him to their 40-man roster.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR    wRC+

          R (GCL)    2      8    .250    .250    .250       0      0      73
          A+        68    262    .290    .397    .727      19      1     111

2010 Outlook
De Los Santos should be in New Britain for all of the 2010 season, splitting time between second base and shortstop.

Video


Estimated Time of Arrival
2012

Overvaluing the theory of a veteran presence

Jack Steal of Fanatic Jack Talks Twins has been an advocate of the Twins adding Jarrod Washburn. While stating one of several reasons for adding Washburn, Jack brings up the point that Pavano had a "calming effect" on the rest of the rotation. I completely disagree with this argument, and I always have. There's nothing that proves this. It's a lot like the argument that who hits ahead/behind you will make you a better hitter. To me, these are baseless arguments.

A lot has been said about the addition of Carl Pavano last season. Upon first glance, it's easy to believe that Pavano helped a young rotation of inexperienced starters settle down and pitch great over the last 55 games. Prior to his addition, the Twins were 53-55 and were struggling to stay afloat in the A.L. Central. After his addition, the Twins went 34-21 and eventually went on to win the division. But even with those figures, I still can't give Pavano the credit for this.

The Twins opened the 2009 season with a rotation of three right-handers Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, and two left-handers Francisco Liriano and Glen Perkins. The majority of them struggled throughout the first month of the season and the rotation, with a spot-start by R.A. Dickey, allowed an average of 4.87 runs per game in April. Prior to the Pavano trade, the Twins depended on eight different starters. As a group, they gave up an average of 4.8 runs per game in the first 108 games.

Upon acquiring Pavano, the Twins used eight different starters over the last 55 games. Brian Duensing was the best pitcher over the course of this time, compiling a 5-1 record and a 2.58 ERA as a starter. As a group, the rotation still gave up an average of 4.5 runs per game. The rotation improved, obviously, but Pavano didn't have the biggest impact, Duensing (a rookie) did. In fact, if you discounted Duensing's eight starts, the Twins would have allowed an average of 4.9 runs per game.

As for the great record after the Pavano trade, it's due to the fact that the Twins scored an average of 5.4 runs per game. Prior to his trade, the Twins scored an average of 4.8 runs per game. Pavano had no effect on how many runs were scored, only given up.

When looking at specific players, the only two players that can really be evaluated are Baker and Blackburn. They're the only two players to make at least five starts before and after the acquisition of Pavano. Before, Baker was 9-7 with a 4.59 ERA through 21 starts. After, he was 6-2 with a 3.98 ERA through 12 starts. That's a considerable improvement and one definitely worth noting. Blackburn on the other hand was 8-6 with a 3.78 ERA through 22 starts before the addition of Pavano. After, he was 3-5 with a 4.62 ERA through 11 starts, which is also worth noting.

Out of the two pitchers that can be evaluated properly, one improved with Pavano's presence while the other declined. It's not fair to assume Duensing was better because of Pavano. And it's unfair to say that Pavano made Baker better or Blackburn worse. What some also fail to remember is that even with a struggling rotation, many loses at the beginning of the season came at the hands of the bullpen. The rotation struggled, no doubt, but saying that they were "lost little puppies" without a veteran presence is inaccurate. Duensing was the hero, not Pavano. And I would think that the additions of Ron Mahay and Jon Rauch as well as the improvement by Jesse Crain would play a bigger role in relieving pressure than another starting pitcher.

I just wish the Twins, and some fans, didn't continually buy into this "veteran presence" argument. In the past, guys brought in to provide "veteran presence" like Livan Hernandez, Sidney Ponson and Ramon Ortiz have cost guys like Matt Garza, Scott Baker and Francisco Liriano valuable starts. And what I don't want to be misconstrued in all of this is that I do like Pavano and love the idea of adding another starter. But the pitcher we add should be better than what we already have. Washburn isn't, which is why I don't support the Twins adding him.

Bottom line, veteran presence is just a theory that I don't believe in.

Top 50 Twins Prospects 2010: #41 Chris Herrmann

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | #41 | Chris Herrmann

Position | Catcher/Outfielder

Bats/Throws | Left/Right

Born | November 24, 1987 (Tomball, Texas)

School | University of Miami

Height | 6'0''

Weight | 180 lbs.

2009 Ranking | Not Ranked





Breakdown
Chris Herrmann was drafted by the Twins in the sixth round of the 2009 draft out of the University of Miami. Herrmann transferred to Miami after two years at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Texas. Herrmann played all around the infield in college but played extensively at third base and catcher. The Twins drafted him and immediately moved him to outfield where he handled himself well. He doesn't have great speed, so it made sense that the Twins have moved him back to catcher. Herrmann's good power and plate discipline makes him a good middle-of-the-order bat. In 2010, it will be interesting to see how the Twins handle Herrmann and catcher Danny Rams. Rams played well last season but he probably hasn't earned a call-up to Ft. Myers. Rams and Herrmann should be catching on a daily basis, so one should start in Ft. Myers. My guess is that Rams starts in Ft. Myers.

2009 Statistics

          Level      G     PA     AVG     OBP     SLG     XBH     HR    wRC+

          R (ELZ)   59     16    .297    .391    .453      22      7     135

2010 Outlook
Herrmann will probably be in Beliot where he'll likely split time between outfield and catching. Herrmann could receive a mid-season promotion if he plays well.

Video

Chris Catch-Boston ACC @ Yahoo! Video

Estimated Time of Arrival
2012