Organizational Rankings: Outfielders

These archived Organizational Rankings were originally put together in February 2007. There are a few things to keep in mind while browsing through them:

1.) This is a subjective ranking -- please feel free to dispute where I've ranked players, but keep in mind that nothing that has happened in the 2007 season went into the decision on where to rank a player.

2.) Originally, these posts had my predictions on where a player would start off the 2007 season. The team in purple immediately following a player's name is where that player is right now, and nothing else will appear if that was where I predicted that player would be playing. If I was wrong, I'll list my predicted destination in brackets and blue text following the team that player is actually playing with.

3.) Each player is listed in only one of these posts. The determination of where to place a player was made based on where that player got the most playing time in 2006, and I won't be moving players around during the season.

4.) Players who are no longer with the team will remain on the list, but their entry will be in red text and the method by which that player left the team (released, traded, etc.) will be listed in place of a team assignment.

5.) Players added to the organization during the season will be placed at the bottom of the rankings, and will receive a rank of "NR," for "Not Ranked." If they are still with the team when the 2008 season rolls around, they'll be ranked along with everyone else.

Rank - Name - Likely 2007 Destination

#1 - Torii Hunter - FREE AGENT (c. 10/29/07)
Haters, I'm waiting for the comments. Bottom line: Hunter deserves the number 1 ranking on this list because of what he's done AND because of what he means to this team. His 31 homeruns last year were a career high, and his .278 batting average was good enough when coupled with his 826 OPS. As I've said before, these posts are designed to focus more on the minor leaguers than on the Major Leaguers, so I'm not going to say much more about Hunter, other than to say that the Twins need another season like 2006 out of him if they are going to compete in the stacked AL Central this season.

#2 - Michael Cuddyer - Minnesota Twins
If Torii Hunter deserves the #1 ranking in the outfield because of what he's done, then Cuddyer deserves it for what he could mean. Cuddyer developed into the offensive force that the Twins needed him to be, perfectly completing Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau in the lineup. Cuddyer's future is very bright now that he's put the pesky position-shifting behind him, and he should have a chance to take another big step forward this year.

#3 - Jason Kubel - Minnesota Twins
Kubel should be given every opportunity to claim the DH job with the Twins this season, and Twins fans should be hoping he does exactly that. Kubel has a career .320 minor league average, with an 884 OPS. Unfortunately, in 96 games at the Major League level, he's hit just .254/693. If he comes into camp fully healthy, and starts hitting like he's capable of hitting, then he could be scary good. He deserves to be ranked this high, because if things click then he will become one of the most important hitters in the Twins lineup. If he struggles again this year, it will begin to look like he's a AAAA player who might never figure out the Major League game. Of course, he's still just 24-years-old - so there is PLENTY of time for him to figure things out.

#4 - Jason Tyner - Non-Tendered (12/12/07)
Odd choice, you say, considering some of the talent in the minor league system? Well, perhaps - but consider that Tyner (once a first round draft pick of the New York Mets) has hit .312, .321, and .278 in his last three Major League seasons (admittedly, the .321 average was put up in just 18 games). In other words, Tyner is a proven Major League hitter, who can fill in at any outfield position. He gives the Twins a great deal of flexibility, and always seems capable of coming up with a big hit. As someone who should have played many more than 325 Major League games in his career, Tyner deserves this ranking.

#5 - Rondell White - FREE AGENT (c. 10/30/07)
Sure, White struggled last year. Sure, he's getting up there in age. Nevertheless, White is a proven Major Leaguer who will be holding down the left-field post for the Twins this season. I thought about ranking him a little lower, but I still have a bias in favor of players who have actually played at the Major League level over those who haven't - although, as you'll see, that doesn't always stop me from ranking a Major Leaguer a good distance down the list . . .

#6 - Josh Rabe - FREE AGENT (c. 10/05/07)
Rabe was an 11th round pick in the 2000 draft, and the 28-year-old has taken a long, slow road to his position as (in my opinion) a top outfield prospect. The Twins may disagree with me on Rabe's prospect status - they removed him from their 40-man roster after the 2006 season - but Rabe will return to Rochester for a fifth straight season, and try once again to prove that he belongs. Last season seemed to be a breakthrough for Rabe - he hit .299/773 in 93 games (355 AB's) with the Red Wings, and ended up playing 24 games (49 AB's) with the Twins, hitting .286/804. To me, those numbers should have earned Rabe some respect, but he was left exposed to the Rule 5 Draft (obviously, he went undrafted), so the Twins don't seem that worried about him. Here's hoping Rabe can have another strong season at Rochester and get his way back onto the roster - I'd like to see him succeed. Rabe can play in left or right field, as needed.

#7 - Denard Span - Rochester Red Wings
Is Span the replacement for Torii Hunter in 2008? The 1st round pick from the 2002 draft has sure been talked up as being the likely candidate for that job, and with the difference in cost between the veteran Hunter and Span, it seems like a very good possibility. Of course, the Twins will need to be convinced this season that Span has what it takes to do the job. The speedy span (he is most definitely NOT a power hitter) hit .285/689 in 134 games (536 AB's) with New Britain, and split his 2005 between Ft. Myers and the Rock Cats. It's not a stretch to say that Span will be one of the most closely-watched prospects in 2007, as the Twins see if he can adjust to AAA and position himself to take over for one of the most beloved members of the big league squad. Span is primarily used as a center fielder.

#8 - Brandon Roberts - New Britain Rock Cats
Roberts was acquired by the Twins for Juan Castro, of all people, and this has the makings of another steal of a trade by Terry Ryan. The left-handed hitting Roberts is just 22, and was drafted in the 7th round of the 2005 draft. Roberts was very strong in rookie ball in 2005, hitting .318/824 in 68 games (274 AB's). The start of 2006 was a different story, as he struggled to adjust to life in High-A ball (the Reds skipped him over Low-A), hitting .267/633 in 60 games before the trade. The Twins left him at High-A, and it was like he was a different player, hitting .316/766 in 71 games (285 AB's) for the Miracle. Roberts is still very young, and has a lot of levels left to go through, but he certainly appears to be a steal for the Twins. Roberts is primarily a center fielder.

#9 - Chris Parmelee - Beloit Snappers
Parmelee was the Twins first round pick in last year's draft, and the soon-to-be 19-year-old was assigned to the GCL Twins. Parmelee proceeded to demonstrate his power, hitting 8 homeruns in 154 AB's. His batting average was an adequate .279, and he had a very good 901 OPS. The left-handed hitting Parmelee was moved up to Beloit at the end of the season, and wasn't able to make the instant adjustment, hitting .227/643 in 22 AB's. Beloit should be his destination to start the season, and with time to adjust to that level, he should be strong there. Parmelee played a little bit of 1B last season in addition to his time in the outfield, but I would guess that he'll be asked to stick more in the outfield this season.

#10 - Trent Oeltjen - Minor League Free Agent (c. 11/02/07)
The soon-to-be 24-year-old Oeltjen was signed out of an Australia as an undrafted free agent back in 2001 and assigned to the GCL squad, where he hit .321/805 before being promoted to Elizabethton. He made his way up through the system, and last year played with New Britain, where he hit .299/789 in 113 games (401 AB's). With a lot of open space in the outfield at Rochester, he should easily be moved up. The lefty doesn't have a lot of power, but he's got decent speed (29, 25, 21, and 23 steals respectively over the past 4 years). In other words, he's a Jason Tyner type. His career .293/750 minor league numbers are solid, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him have success again this season with Rochester. Oeltjen played all over the outfield last season, and will probably do the same this year, with Josh Rabe, Denard Span, and Garrett Guzman likely ahead of him with the Red Wings.

#11 - Eli Tintor - Beloit Snappers [Ft. Myers]
Tintor, a 22-year-old out of Hibbing, Minnesota, was drafted by the Twins in the 18th round of the 2003 draft. The righty, who started off as a catcher, began his Twins career with the GCL Twins, where he hit .266/651 in 25 games (64 AB's). He stayed put in 2004, hitting .228/590 with 25 games (79 AB's), and then was briefly promoted to Ft. Myers, where he struggled. He finally started to catch fire with Elizabethton in 2005, hitting .281/737 in 40 games (139 AB's). Last season, he finally moved up to the full-season Beloit squad, where he hit .285/749 in 116 games (410 AB's), also demonstrating some decent power (12 homers). Tintor played mostly in right field last season, but can also play a little bit of center.

#12 - Garrett Guzman - Rule 5 (Major) - Washington (12/06/07)
Guzman, 24, was a 10th round selection in the 2001 draft. I should probably rank him higher than this, because he's never had a very bad season in his minor league career (2004 with Ft. Myers is probably the closest he's come, when he hit .269/706 in 78 games). However, until last year, he had never played more than 82 games in a season. Whether that was due to injuries or limited use, I don't know - but last season, Guzman played in 129 games between High A and AA, so he seems to be over the hump in that regard. In 64 games with New Britain at the end of last season, Guzman hit .275/779 over 222 at-bats. Normally, I would think that the Twins would keep him in New Britain at the start of this season to give him a few more at-bats there before moving him up - but, with a dearth of outfielders at the AAA level, I actually think it's more likely that he's given a promotion to Rochester to start the season. Guzman primarily played in left field last season.

#13 - Lew Ford - FREE AGENT (c. 10/05/07)
Were you wondering when Ford was going to show up on this list? The 12th round pick in the 1999 draft for the Red Sox had a great 2004 season (.299/827 in 154 games), but regressed in 2005 (.264/715), and a horrible 2006 (.226/599). That trend is a serious problem, and in my mind indicates that the league caught up with Ford. He's now 30, and while I wish him the best I no longer consider him a solid Major League caliber player. We'll find out this spring, when Ford is forced to compete for a roster spot that doesn't seem to be available. If he ends up in Rochester, the big question is whether he'll ever be back with the Twins. Is this low of a ranking too harsh?

#14 - Danny Santiesteban - Beloit Snappers
Santiesteban was drafted in the 39th round of the 2004 draft, but didn't play until the 2005 season. He started off with the GCL Twins, hitting .307/1005 in 21 games (75 AB's). That was enough to earn him a promotion to Elizabethton in 2006, when he hit .250/726 in 64 games (244 AB's). Those aren't great numbers, but I think that will be enough to get him promoted to Beloit. He should even be one of the primary three starters with the Snappers. Santiesteban is (or will be in two days) a 22-year-old right-handed hitter. Santiesteban was primarily a center fielder last season.

#15 - Joe Benson - Beloit Snappers
Benson was a 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft for the Twins, and will be 19 in early March. Last season, he played with the GCL Twins, and hit .260/779 in 52 games (196 AB's). He finished up with Beloit, hitting .263/526 in just 8 games (19 AB's). I'm predicting that Benson will start the season in Beloit, and I'm standing firmly enough on that assertion that I'm not listing him as being on the cut-point between Beloit and Elizabethton. However, it's not out of the question that Benson is asked to stay back and start the season with the E-Twins. We'll know pretty quickly whether that's the case. Benson was primarily a center fielder last season.

#16 - Edward Ovalle - Ft. Myers Miracle
Ovalle is a 21-year-old righty who was signed out of the Dominican Republic as an undrafted free agent back in 2002. Ovalle first played in the Twins organization back in 2004, with the GCL squad - he hit .279/731 in 45 games (172 AB's). The next season, Ovalle moved up to Elizabethton, where he hit .285/809 in 65 games (239 AB's). The progression continued last year, when he hit .261/702 in 128 games (471 AB's) with Beloit. That should be good enough to get him moved up to Ft. Myers this season. Ovalle is primarily a center-fielder, but occasionally will play in right.

#17 - Matt Allegra - Minor League Free Agent (c. 11/02/07)
Allegra was picked up by the Twins to add depth to the outfield in the system. He's played at the AA level for the last year and a half, hitting .265/811 in 96 games (355 AB's) with Midland in the Oakland system. Allegra is 26, and was originally a 16th round pick in the 1999 draft. The right-handed hitter has some power (15 HR's last season). Whether he'll prove a meaningful addition to the Twins organization remains to be seen, but he seems to have some potential and could work his way into the top-tier of Twins outfield prospects.

#18 - Deacon Burns - RELEASED (c. 4/06/07)
Burns was a 26th round pick in the 2004 draft. The 24-year-old lefty started off his career with Elizabethton in 2004, hitting .314/933 in 63 games (255 AB's) for the E-Twins. He moved up to Beloit in 2005, and hit .271/802 in 132 games (527 AB's), and then found himself in Ft. Myers last season. Unfortunately, he stalled out last year, hitting just .228/611 in 114 games (404 AB's). That's unlikely to earn him a promotion to New Britain, so expect Burns to be left behind in Ft. Myers for a second season, where he'll try to regain his status as a promising prospect. Burns is primarily a left fielder, but can also play right when needed.

#19 - Dwayne White - Ft. Myers Miracle
The 23-year-old White (who will turn 24 shortly after the start of the season) was originally drafted in the 36th round of the 2003 draft by the Rangers. How he ended up in Minnesota, I don't know - but I'm guessing he didn't sign with the Rangers, and then went undrafted the next year. That would have allowed him to sign with anyone, so I'm guessing that's how the Twins got him - if anyone knows differently, let me know. The left-handed hitting White started off his career with Beloit in 2005, hitting .261/658 in 78 games (268 AB's). Last season, he was again in Beloit, where he hit .258/701 in 97 games (322 AB's). Those aren't great numbers, but I'm guessing that promotion is in order anyway, with room needing to be made for some newer players. As a result, White's play is probably good enough to get him a promotion. White is primarily a left fielder.

#20 - Tarrence Patterson - RELEASED (c. 3/30/07)
Patterson is a 22-year-old who was selected in the 35th round of the 2002 draft. He spent two seasons with the GCL Twins, hitting .349/859 in 2002 and .308/799 in 2003. That was enough to earn him a promotion to Elizabethton in 2004, where he hit .224/656 in 43 games (170 AB's). The previous two seasons were enough to get him another promotion to Beloit, where he's spent the last two years (hitting .254/676 and .257/623 respectively). Again, while those numbers aren't great, they are probably good enough to get him a promotion to the Miracle for this season. Patterson pretty much plays in left and center field.

#21 - Jeremy Pickrel - RELEASED (c. 4/06/07)
Pickrel was selected in the 10th round of the 2004 draft. The soon-to-be 24-year-old left-handed hitting Pickrel started off in Elizabethton in 2004, hitting .266/769 in 49 games (177 AB's). He moved up to Beloit in 2005, hitting .277/820 in 108 games (393 AB's). Then, last season, he was given another promotion, this time to the Miracle, where he struggled, hitting just .231/676 in 93 games (316 AB's). Pickrel probably deserves to be higher on this list, but last season was troubling. If he ups his average and hits 12 homeruns like he did in 2005, it'll go a long way towards restoring his status. As for whether he plays with Ft. Myers or New Britain this year, it probably depends not only on how he looks this spring, but on how the outfields in New Britain and Ft. Myers are shaping up. For my money, I'm guessing he stays in Ft. Myers to start the season (but that outfield is starting to look awfully crowded). Pickrel is primarily a right fielder.

#22 - Scott Whitrock - RELEASED (c. 3/30/07)
Whitrock was drafted in the 19th round of the 2001 draft. The 26-year-old righty has moved up a level every year, except in 2003-2004, when he played with Quad Cities. Last season, Whitrock played in New Britain, hitting .207/602 in 72 games (222 AB's). That should mean a return to New Britain this season, as there doesn't seem to be any reason to give him a precious roster spot in Rochester. Whitrock is primarily a right fielder.

#23 - Josh Land - RELEASED (c. 3/30/07)
Land was drafted in the 38th round of the 2004 draft, and the now 22-year-old lefty started off his Twins career with Elizabethton in 2005. He actually had a solid first season, hitting .306/777 in 24 games (72 AB's) for the E-Twins. He started off 2006 with Beloit, but hit just .207/542 in 18 games (58 AB's) and was sent to Elizabethton once the short-season began. Unfortunately, he didn't do any better there, hitting just .211/578 in 36 games (128 AB's). Nevertheless, I'm guessing that Land will once again start the season in Beloit, although playing time will be limited. Land typically plays left field.

#24 - Justin Arneson - RELEASED (c. 3/30/07)
Arneson is from Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and was signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent back in 2002. The 25-year-old righty played with the GCL Twins in 2002, hitting .344/895 in 37 games (125 AB's). Unfortuntely, that was the highlight so far of his career. He's moved up to Ft. Myers, where he's hit .199/580 and .232/620 over the past two seasons. It seems likely that Arneson will stay in Ft. Myers this season, but he may be due for a "social promotion" up to New Britain. As a backup outfielder, he's likely to end up wherever the team needs a little depth. While he played primarily in right field last season, he got time at each outfield position and likely will again this year.

#25 - Wesley Connor - RELEASED (c. 10/25/07)
Connor is a native of the Netherlands, and the switch hitter will be 22 for most of this season. The 2005 season was Connor's first in the Twins system, and he started off with the GCL Twins. He hit .246/671 in 27 games (65 AB's), and found himself in Elizabethton for most of the 2006 season, where he hit just .188/466 in 32 games (101 AB's). I'm guessing that a sub-.200 average is not enought to earn Connor a promotion to Beloit, considering that there is already a pretty full field ahead of him. Connor played primarily in right field last season, but also got some time in left.

#26 - Mark Robinson - RELEASED (c. 5/1/07)
Robinson was drafted in the 4th round of the 2004 draft, and the switch-hitter will turn 21 on April 7. Robinson was in Beloit last season, but really performed poorly, hitting just .178/488 in 42 games (135 AB's). While it's possible that he'll be kept in Beloit as a backup, I think there's a good shot that he's sent back to Elizabethton this season, as a way to open up a roster spot in Beloit. Robinson played about equally in left and right field last season.

#27 - J.W. Wilson - UNASSIGNED [Eliz/GCL]
Wilson was a 6th round pick in the 2005 draft, and the 20-year-old righty started off his Twins career with the GCL Twins in 2005, hitting .229/634 in 26 games (83 AB's). Last season, he hit .228/661 in 48 games (171 AB's) with Elizabethton. I'm putting him on a cut-point between Elizabethton and Beloit, but it seems much more likley that his numbers won't be good enough to get him to Beloit just yet. I look for him to start off in extended spring training before returning to Elizabethton for a second season. Wilson primarily played in right field last season, but also got a little bit of time in center.

#28 - Mark Dolenc - Elizabethton Twins [Eliz/GCL]
Dolenc was drafted in the 15th round of last years draft, out of Minnesota State - Mankato. The 22-year-old righty was assigned to the GCL team, where he hit .212/543 in 51 games (189 AB's). While those numbers ordinarily wouldn't be enough to get promoted, Dolenc may be a mature enough ballplayer to earn a spot with Elizabethton rather than a repeat season in the GCL. Dolenc pretty much split time between left and right field in 2006.

#29 - Kevin Harrington - GCL Twins
Harrington was drafted in the 12th round of the 2006 draft, and the soon-to-be 19-year-old lefty was assigned to the GCL team. He struggled mightily, hitting a woeful .136/419 in 36 games (110 AB's). Harrington will almost certainly get a shot to prove himself again in the GCL this year, and hopefully he can make some improvements. Harrington plays mostly in left, but also got some time in center and right last season.

#30 - Wang-Yi Lin - GCL Twins
All I know about Lin is that he is 18 (maybe 19 by the start of the season) and that he's from Taiwan. As with many international signings, I'm placing him at the bottom of the rankings until we see him play, and also guessing that he'll start off in the GCL. It's at least possible that Lin is actually developed enough to start off higher, but I think the GCL is a good guess.

NR - Ben Revere - UNASSIGNED [GCL]
Revere was the #1 pick in the 2007 draft for the Twins, and the speedy center fielder from Lexington Catholic High School in Kentucky fits the Denard Span mold to a T right now. The Twins have high hopes that Revere will develop significantly more power than Span as he rises through the system. Revere's first step will likely be to prove that he can hit GCL pitching, with a likely step up to Beloit for 2008 if he performs well this year. Revere was born on May 3, 1988, bats from the left side, and throws from the right.

NR - Andrew Schmiesing - GCL Twins [Elizabethton]
Schmiesing was the Twins 11th round pick in the 2007 draft, coming out of St. Olaf in good ole' Minnesota. Baseball America was predicting that it would be tough to sign the college junior, since he apparently was interested in returning to St. Olaf for his senior year of football. However, I suspect that being drafted by the hometown Twins made it impossible to pass up a contract, and Schmiesing's signing was announced on June 12. He was born on May 24, 1986, and hits and throws from the left side.

NR - Ozzie Lewis - Elizabethton Twins [No Prediction]
Lewis was drafted by the Twins in the 21st round of the 2007 draft out of Fresno State University in California. He's on the big side at 6'5", 210 lbs, and both bats and throws from the right. He was born on March 21, 1986, and he signed with the Twins on June 12.

NR - Darnell McDonald - Rochester Red Wings [No Prediction]
The Twins acquired McDonald from the Washington Nationals on June 24, 2007 in exchange for allowing the Nats to keep Levale Speigner, a 2006 Rule 5 Draft choice who had been designated for assignment the week before. McDonald was a 1st round pick for the Baltimore Orioles in 1997, and made it to the big leagues in 2004 for 17 games (he hit .156). Since that time, he's bounced around the AAA level for Cleveland, Tampa Bay, and Washington before heading to Minnesota. He has a little bit of speed, and in 2007 has been hitting pretty well. He was born on November 17, 1978 in Fort Collins, Colorado, and both hits and throws from the right side.

NR - Angel Morales - UNASSIGNED [No Prediction]
Morales was drafted by the Twins in the 3rd round of the 2007 draft out of Puerto Rico. He's supposed to be a 6'0", 185 lb. speedster. He was born on November 24, 1989 and both hits and throws from the right side.

NR - Dustin Martin - Ft. Myers Miracle [No Prediction]
Martin was acquired by the Twins in the trade that sent Luis Castillo to the Mets, and was assigned to Ft. Myers. A 26th round pick by the Mets in 2006, the left-handed hitting Martin (who was born on April 4, 1984) hit .294 in 119 AB's for the Miracle.

NR - Hyun-Wook Choi - Unassigned [No Prediction]
Choi is a South Korean high schooler who was signed by the Twins in August along with second-sacker Hyeong-Rok Choi. All the information that I have on him (which isn't much) comes from this Korean Times article, which includes a picture of the two Choi's together.

NR - Craig Monroe (40-Man) - Minnesota Twins [No Prediction]
Monroe was acquired by the Twins from the Cubs for a Player to be Named Later in mid-November. The Twins will reportedly attempt to sign Monroe, who is arbitration-eligible, to a new contract for less money than he made last season. If they cannot do so by December 1, they will non-tender him and owe the Cubs nothing in return.

NR - Delmon Young (40-Man) - Minnesota Twins [No Prediction]
Young was the centerpiece of a six-player deal that sent top Twins pitching prospect Matt Garza to the Tampa Bay Rays on November 28. Young is one of the most promising young hitters in the game, and was targeted by the Twins to bolster their offense. After the departure of Torii Hunter to the Angels, acquiring Young became even more of a priority for the Twins. He's expected to play left-field for the Twins in 2008, and should provide a reasonably high average and a power bat from the right side.

NR - Jason Pridie (40-Man) - Minnesota Twins [No Prediction]
Pridie has been viewed favorably by the Twins for a few seasons, having been taken by them in the Rule 5 Draft conducted in December 2005. He was returned to the Rays after Spring Training 2006, and was part of the Delmon Young/Matt Garza swap on November 28, 2007. Pridie is a center fielder who may have a chance to make the Twins in 2008, depending on who else the Twins end up acquiring over the course of the off-season.

NR - Jon Knott - Unassigned [No Prediction]
Knott is a 29-year-old right-hander who was signed by the Twins as a minor league free agent on November 22 and was invited to spring training in early January.