2008 Organizational Rankings: Outfielders
This is the third in a series of posts covering every player in the Twins organization who has played at least at the Rookie League level or higher, along with a few international players who have not yet reached that level. Here are the ground rules for these posts:
1.) Each player in the organization will be listed in only one of these posts. The determination of where to place a player was made based on the position at which the player received the most playing time during the 2007 season (with very rare exceptions), and I won't be moving players around during the season.
2.) These rankings are obviously being made prior to the start of the 2008 season, and I will not be updating them during the season. As a result, no matter how well a player performs in 2008, it will not affect his ranking.
3.) As with everything else that appears on this blog, these rankings represent my own subjective impressions. If you agree or disagree, feel free to respond with your own thoughts in the comments.
4.) Speaking of comments, I'm human and therefore make mistakes. If I've missed a player, added a player who is no longer with the team, incorrectly listed biographical information, or anything else, please let me know in the comments and I will address the mistake with a correction, if necessary.
5.) Players who leave the Twins organization (whether by release, trade, or any other circumstance) will remain in the rankings, but their listing will be in red font and the method by which they left the team will be noted. Players who join the Twins organization during the season will be added to the proper post, but will not be ranked; instead, they'll appear at the bottom of the list with the ranking of "NR," standing for "Not Ranked." This will be true whether the player is a 2008 draft pick or a former All-Star traded for at the deadline.
#1 - Michael Cuddyer
Cuddyer had a bit of a down-year in 2007 (although it was by no means horrible). Nonetheless, with the departure of Torii Hunter, Cuddyer is by far the most established outfielder in the Twins organization and has the best chance to have a great year in 2008. Now that the Twins seem to have a new (albeit very young and unproven) center fielder, hopefully they'll leave Cuddyer alone to patrol right field and nail runners who get a little greedy.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 3/27/1979
Drafted: 1997 (1st Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Signed 3-year, $24 million extension with $10.5 million option for 2011 (1/25/08); 15-Day DL (4/04/08); Activated from DL (4/25/08); 15-Day DL (6/29/08); Activated from DL (9/13/08)
#2 - Delmon Young
Young was the first big acquisition for the Twins this off-season, coming over from the Tampa Bay Rays along with SS Brendan Harris and CF Jason Pridie in exchange for RHP Matt Garza, RHP Eduardo Morlan, and SS Jason Bartlett. He should immediately solve the LF woes that seem to have plagued the Twins for the last couple of seasons. Young has always hit for average, but his power has yet to fully manifest itself. If Young takes a step forward in 2008, he could easily find himself at the top of this ranking next year.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 9/14/1985
Drafted: 2003 (1st Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: None
#3 - Jason Kubel
Here's where things start to get a bit more controversial. Kubel has been a top-level prospect in the organization for years now, and has yet to fully develop into the player that the team (and fans) have hoped he would. His knee injury of a couple of years ago is, of course, partly to blame -- but at this point that's far enough removed that its effects should be diminishing. Kubel seemed to take some strides forward last year, as he stayed in the big leagues all season and picked up 418 AB's, hitting .273 and knocking 13 balls out of the yard. The likely DH for the Twins in 2008, Kubel needs to continue moving forward -- a .280/20 HR/90 RBI season would be a good start. Because of his potential, I'm going to keep him at third on my list; failure to perform this season, however, will likely mean a severe re-thinking of his prospects.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 5/25/1982
Drafted: 2000 (12th Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: None
#4 - Carlos Gomez
Well, we might as well have hope, right? The centerpiece of the Johan Santana trade is considered to be a potential star, but so far in his professional career he's been only a mediocre-to-ok hitter with no power and tons of speed. Nonetheless, Gomez is still young enough that he's expected to continue to develop -- and the early returns suggest that he'll be doing so with the Twins rather than in the minor leagues. It could be a bit ugly to watch for the next couple of years as Gomez tries to figure out how to hit big league pitching, but if he ever puts it all together he should be a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder with superior speed. For that potential, he gets the #4 slot.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 12/4/1985
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Traded to the Minnesota Twins (2/2/08)
#5 - Erik Lis
I confess to being a big fan of Lis, who was ranked as a first baseman last year, and who still played a little over 1/4 of his games there in 2007. Last year was his third in the organization, and while his batting average tumbled to .274 in 492 AB's (his most as a professional), his power increased (18 homers, 34 doubles). The result was an OPS of 804, following seasons with a 933 OPS in Elizabethton in 2005 and of 949 in Beloit in 2006. Certainly, that was a step back, but he still performed well in Ft. Myers and should have earned himself another promotion. If he can continue to develop his power and reclaim some of his lost batting average points, Lis will continue to merit serious attention from Twins fans moving forward. I'm certainly not going to bet against him.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 3/8/1984
Drafted: 2005 (9th Round)
Status: 4th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: New Britain Rock Cats
Current Team: New Britain Rock Cats
2008 Transactions: Assigned to AA New Britain (4/03/08); 7-Day DL (8/05/08)
#6 - Jason Pridie
I'm anticipating some second-guessing on this selection, because there's a bundle of players who could be ranked anywhere between this spot and about #15 depending on what you value in your rankings. For me, I'm looking at the fact that Pridie had a very good 2007 in AA and AAA (.290 in 279 AB's at AA and .318 in 245 AB's at AAA), as well as the fact that with the exception of a few years in the Rays organization, he's been a solid player. His position at the top levels of the minor league system and my view of him as a very likely Major League player at some point in the not-too-distant future causes me to rank him this highly. I fully understand that not everyone is nearly as high on Pridie (many consider him a marginal player at best), but time will tell who is right on that front.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 10/9/1983
Drafted: 2002 (2nd Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Optioned to AAA Rochester (3/24/08); Recalled to Minnesota (9/02/08)
#7 - Denard Span
Span is a very tough player to rank. On the one hand, he's a high-level player who is on the roster and has a chance to win a Major League job out of spring training. On the other hand, he had a down-year in 2007, and with the addition of Carlos Gomez to the organization (not to mention Jason Pridie), there's a good chance that Span has become superfluous. Nonetheless, I still think that Span's speed and defensive abilities leave him with too much potential to be ignored. While some of the prospects that I've ranked below him may have better overall prospects, their status in the lower levels of the minor league system leave things too uncertain to justify a higher ranking -- and so Span stays in the same #7 spot he was in last year.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 2/27/1984
Drafted: 2002 (1st Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Optioned to AAA Rochester (3/24/08); Recalled to Minnesota (4/04/08); Optioned to AAA Rochester (4/24/08); 7-Day DL (c. 5/20/08); Activated from DL (6/12/08); Recalled to Minnesota (6/30/08)
#8 - Craig Monroe (Released - 8/6/08)
This one was hard for me as well, because I don't have a lot of faith in Monroe. Nonetheless, he's demonstrated that he can hit for power at the Major League level (28 homers in 2006 for the Tigers, when he hit .255 in 541 AB's). If he can win himself a job in Spring Training, he could become a potent force for the Twins as a backup outfielder and DH -- or he could falter entirely as he did last year for the Tigers and Cubs. Considering that he's just now entering his 30's, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and rank him this highly -- but honestly, there's an equally good chance that he could be out of the organization by the end of March.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 2/27/1977
Drafted: 1995 (8th Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Designated for Assignment (8/01/08); Released (8/06/08)
#9 - Ben Revere
Revere was the Twins first round pick in last year's draft, and has only 191 AB's as a professional. Nonetheless, he performed extremely well for the GCL Twins last year (.325 in 191 AB's, 849 OPS, 21 SB), delivering as a first round pick should. The Twins are very high on his potential, even though he's years away from being able to contribute at the big league level. With no reason to doubt him at this point, I'm going to stick him in my top 10 -- and I think there's a very good chance that next year he could take a significant step forward if he gets a chance to play with a full-season team and delivers strong results.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 5/3/1988
Drafted: 2007 (1st Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/28/08)
#10 - Chris Parmelee
Another tough one. Parmelee is considered by many to be a top prospect with the Twins, but I'm not yet willing to sign up on the bandwagon. After starting his Twins career in the GCL, where he hit .279 in 154 AB's with 8 homers (and 47 K's), Parmelee was promoted to Beloit last season. Unfortunately, he regressed offensively, hitting just .239 with 15 HR's, 137 K's, and a 727 OPS in 447 AB's. He's still very young, and there's no reason to think that he can't turn it around (hence his placement at the end of my top 10). Nonetheless, at this point I couldn't possibly justify ranking him any higher.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 2/24/1988
Drafted: 2006 (1st Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/03/08); Placed on 7-Day DL (6/28/08)
#11 - Garrett Jones -- Minor League Free Agent (11/10/08)
Talk about a make-or-break spring: Jones is out of options and will turn 27 this year, meaning time is running out on any realistic chance he has of making the big leagues as a regular. Jones made his Major League debut last year for the Twins, where he hit .208 with 2 HR's in 77 AB's. If he makes the team out of Spring Training, it will be as a backup outfielder/first baseman/DH and as a left-handed bat off the bench. On the upside, Jones has shown flashes of significant power throughout his minor league career. On the downside, he's always struck out quite a bit, has never hit for average (although he did hit .280 in 400 AB's with the Red Wings last season, which is a good sign), and according to a lot of scouts he probably doesn't have what it takes to be a regular big leaguer. One of the more interesting questions of the spring could come if Jones doesn't make the team and has to clear waivers -- would anyone take a chance on him? Or would he wind up back in Rochester? At this point, it seems that we'll more than likely find out.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 6/21/1981
Drafted: 1999 (14th Round)
Status: 10th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Rochester Red Wings
2008 Transactions: Outrighted to AAA Rochester (3/21/08); Granted minor league free agency (11/10/08)
#12 - Brandon Roberts
He isn't often discussed as a top prospect in the organization, but Roberts (acquired from the Reds in 2006) has put up solid numbers virtually everywhere that he's played. As with the center fielders ranked above him (Gomez, Pridie, Span, Revere), he's a speedy player who will hit for average but not power. Seems like the Twins are trying to collect as many of these guys as they can! Last season, Roberts hit .293 in 369 AB's while stealing 14 bases for the New Britain Rock Cats, and because of the log-jam of center fielders ahead of him in the organization, he's likely bound for Connecticut again this season. Don't ignore him -- in a couple of years, he could be an interesting backup outfield option, or an important piece of a trade.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 11/9/1984
Drafted: 2005 (7th Round)
Status: 4th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: New Britain Rock Cats
Current Team: New Britain Rock Cats
2008 Transactions: Assigned to AA New Britain (4/03/08); 7-Day DL (4/28/08); Assigned to GCL Twins on Rehab Assignment (c. 6/29/08); Activated from DL (7/25/08)
#13 - Ozzie Lewis
The second of the Twins strong crop of 2008 outfield draft picks to make my rankings after Ben Revere, Lewis is a more advanced player who came out of Fresno State University. He began his professional career in Elizabethton, hitting .323 with an 898 OPS in 235 AB's -- a very strong showing for a player who was drafted in the 21st round. With a promotion to Beloit likely, it will be interesting to see if Lewis can maintain his first-year performance, or if he falls into the pack.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 3/21/1986
Drafted: 2007 (21st Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/03/08); 7-Day DL (7/20/08)
#14 - Joe Benson
Another player who is very well liked by prospects followers, but who in my mind has yet to deliver. Benson was drafted behind Parmelee in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft, and like Parmelee he started off in the GCL in 2006 (hitting .260 with a 779 OPS in 196 AB's) before going to Beloit in 2007 (where he hit .255 with a 715 OPS in 432 AB's). While his offensive drop-off wasn't as bad as Parmelee's, he also didn't perform terribly well. As with Parmelee, he's young enough that I wouldn't be too concerned just yet with his performance, but I also don't see a legitimate reason to rate him any higher than this just yet. A return engagement in Beloit seems likely -- but that could be an awfully crowded outfield, so it's a little hard to tell who might get a social promotion to Ft. Myers.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 3/5/1988
Drafted: 2006 (2nd Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/03/08); Placed on 7-Day DL (6/28/08)
#15 - Rene Tosoni
Tosoni emerged onto the scene rather unexpectedly last season after being drafted in 2005 and missing the 2006 season. In 236 AB's with Elizabethton, Tosoni hit .301 with an 835 OPS, 3 HR's, and 13 SB's. He seems to have a pretty solid swing and could be an interesting new player to follow going forward. Again, though, one of the interesting questions is where he'll actually end up playing -- the normal situation for a strong performer at Elizabethton would be a trip to Beloit the following season, but is there room? If not, who will get bumped up -- or down -- or off the roster entirely to make room?
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 7/2/1986
Drafted: 2004 (36th Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/08); 7-Day DL (5/17/08)
#16 - Andrew Schmiesing
Schmiesing, a native of Stillwater, had a short but solid first professional season with the GCL Twins. After being drafted in the 11th round of last year's draft, Schmiesing put up a .321 average and 779 OPS in 109 AB's while walking 18 times and striking out just 17. Schmiesing, out of St. Olaf College, may have to continue proving himself at the Rookie League level this season because of the glut of outfielders ready for Beloit next year. Nonetheless, his first season was an unqualified success, and it will be interesting to see whether he continues to move forward this season.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 5/24/1986
Drafted: 2007 (11th Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High R Elizabethton (6/17/08); Promoted to Low A Beloit (6/28/08)
#17 - Yangervis Solarte
Solarte is a Venezuelan who had a very solid season with the GCL Twins last year, hitting .303 with a 719 OPS in 175 AB's and striking out just 18 times. Like Schmiesing, Solarte will probably be stuck at the Rookie League level again this season (albeit the higher Elizabethton organization), but that could change if he's impressive in minor league spring training and gets a little lucky. Another interesting thing to note about Solarte is that he appears to be a bit of a utility player, having spent some time at 2B, SS, and 3B last season. If the Twins are really interested in advancing him to Beloit, then, they could probably get him some playing time as a super-sub.
Bats/Throws: B/R
Birthdate: 7/7/1987
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (c. 5/15/08)
#18 - Benjamin Petsch - RELEASED (5/18/08)
Petsch was drafted as a catcher, but played only one game at that position in 2007 for the Elizabethton Twins, instead getting the bulk of his rather limited playing time in the outfield. In 74 AB's, Petsch hit .311 with a 936 OPS, 2 HR's, and a very nice ratio of 21 walks to 15 K's. He also got three hits in 10 AB's with the Snappers, putting up a 1000 OPS in that short span. It certainly appears, then, that Petsch is ready for a promotion to Beloit -- but as I've been saying for the last several players, Beloit is a bit full. I'm still going to guess that Petsch will start the season with the Snappers, although he may be asked to catch a little and play a little 1B and DH as well as playing in the outfield.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 9/3/1984
Drafted: 2007 (19th Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Released (5/18/08)
#19 - Jon Knott - SOLD to Philadelphia (4/30/08)
Knott is a veteran minor leaguer who has made it to the big leagues three separate times, for a total of 31 AB's. In that limited action, he's posted a .194 average -- not exactly an indication that he's a big-league player. However, Knott has compiled a .280 career minor league batting average, so he's not a slouch. He's likely just insurance for the Twins, and whether they'll keep him around once the season starts is unknown. Even if he does stick around, however, he's unlikely to be much more than a one-year stop-gap in the minor league outfield.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 8/4/1978
Drafted: Undrafted
Status: 7th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: None
2008 Transactions: Sold to Philadelphia (4/30/08)
#20 - Doug Deeds - Traded to Chicago Cubs (4/11/08)
Few players suffered in my rankings as much as Deeds did this past year. After being ranked third on the first base list last season, Deeds has been shifted to the outfield. Unfortunately, a combination of poor 2007 performance (.243 average/710 OPS in 235 AB's) and a strong group of players in the outfield has caused me to rank him quite low on this list. Deeds still has some very strong lifetime minor league numbers (.291/837 OPS/51 HR's in 1821 AB's), but last season's uninspiring performance and relatively few at-bats were enough to get Deeds this low ranking.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 6/2/1982
Drafted: 2002 (9th Round)
Status: 7th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Rochester Red Wings
2008 Transactions: 7-Day DL (3/30/08); Traded to Chicago Cubs as the Player to be Named Later in the trade that brought the Twins Craig Monroe (4/11/08)
#21 - Dustin Martin
This is actually a pretty low ranking for a guy who has been remarkably successful in his short time in the organization, but that's largely because I know a bit less about him than I do about the guys ahead of him on the list. Martin was acquired last season when the Twins sent Luis Castillo to the Mets, and he kept right on hitting as he had after being drafted in 2006 (.312/843 in 253 AB's in a low-A league) and in early 2007 (.287/779 in 363 AB's in a high-A league). With the Ft. Myers Miracle after the trade, Martin hit .294/803 in 119 AB's. In other words, Martin appears to be a perfectly serviceable young ballplayer who will continue to try to prove his worth to the organization in his first full year with the team.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 4/4/1984
Drafted: 2006 (26th Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: New Britain Rock Cats
Current Team: New Britain Rock Cats
2008 Transactions: Assigned to AA New Britain (4/03/08)
#22 - Juan Portes
Portes ranked 8th on my second base list last year, but he got the majority of his playing time in 2007 in the outfield with the Ft. Myers Miracle. That's not to say that he didn't play in a variety of positions -- he got nearly as many games at 3B as in the outfield, and played 25 games at second as well, meaning that he actually played more in the infield than he did in the outfield. Still, by my rules he gets placed on the outfield list, and going up against some very good players at that position he finds himself towards the bottom. Last season, Portes hit .269 with a 746 OPS in 495 AB's -- significantly more playing time than he had received in any previous year. With his ability to play at multiple positions, he could find himself playing wherever the organization needs a utility guy.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 11/26/1985
Drafted: 2004 (15th Round)
Status: 5th Season Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: New Britain Rock Cats
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/o8)
#23 - Darnell McDonald -- Minor League Free Agent (11/10/08)
McDonald was acquired last year from the Washington Nationals in exchange for the Nats keeping the rights to rule 5 pick Levale Speigner (who the Nats decided to send to the minor leagues). McDonald is a minor league veteran, having played professionally since 1998. As such, his acquisition was a bit of a mystery, but the Twins did actually call him up to the big leagues for a 10 AB stretch (he picked up 1 hit and walked once). McDonald is now out of options, and is unlikely to make the team out of spring training. As a result, it seems quite likely that he'll need to clear waivers following spring training or else will end up with another team. Considering that he's something of a journeyman (in the last four years he's been in the Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Washington, and Minnesota organizations), the demand for him probably isn't that high, so a stint with the Red Wings seems on tap.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 11/17/1978
Drafted: 1997 (1st Round)
Status: 11th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Rochester Red Wings
2008 Transactions: Released and Re-signed (c. 2/21/08); Assigned to AAA Rochester (3/29/08); 7-Day DL (3/30/08); Activated from 7-Day DL (c. 4/12/08); 7-Day DL (c. 5/14/08); Activated from 7-Day DL (5/22/08); 7-Day DL (7/31/08); Granted minor league free agency (11/10/08)
#24 - Eli Tintor
Last year hurt Tintor significantly in my rankings, as he struggled mightily at High A Ft. Myers, where he hit just .178/488 in 185 AB's. To his credit, he recovered in Low A Beloit, hitting .286/772 in 203 AB's. That may make my ranking too harsh, but I'm not comfortable putting him above any of the players I have ahead of him in my rankings. He will likely begin this season in Ft. Myers, getting another chance to prove that he can play at that level -- if he does reasonably well there, it will show that my ranking was much too harsh. If he struggles, it may indicate that he's hit something of a ceiling.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 12/24/1984
Drafted: 2003 (18th Round)
Status: 6th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/08); Placed on Restricted List (4/04/08); Activated from Restricted List (5/27/08)
#25 - Mark Dolenc
As is the case with many of the players on this list, Dolenc has a bit of a gripe about being ranked so lowly. Last season in Elizabethton, Dolenc hit .287/772 in 230 AB's -- a solid season that normally would be enough to earn him a promotion to Beloit. Will it be enough this year, with so many other players competing for that spot? Time will tell. So, why do I have Dolenc ranked so low? It largely is a function of where I had him ranked last year (28th) and the fact that so many of the people above him either had much better years or are much further advanced.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 11/8/1984
Drafted: 2006 (15th Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins / Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/03/08)
#26 - Danny Santiesteban
Another victim of a poor season and an influx of young talent. Santiesteban advanced to Beloit last season, where he hit just .219/617 in 338 AB's. Unfortunately, that continued a career trend that has seen him play worse each year as a professional. In 2005, with the GCL Twins, Santiesteban hit .307/1005 in 75 AB's. Then, with Elizabethton in 2006, he hit .250/726 in 244 AB's. That kind of regression will not endear him to the team, and hopefully he can reverse the trend in 2008. I'm predicting that he'll be promoted to make room for the influx of younger players to Beloit, but it may be more likely for one of the newbies to skip Beloit and go straight to Ft. Myers instead.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 2/17/1985
Drafted: 2004 (39th Round)
Status: 4th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/08)
#27 - Edward Ovalle
Ovalle spent his 2007 season in Ft. Myers, where he hit just .222/631 in 427 AB's. That followed an ok season in Beloit in 2006 (.261/702 in 471 AB's) and a strong season in Elizabethton in 2005 (.285/809 in 239 AB's). Stop me if you've heard this before, but that regular regression trend coupled with the influx of talent caused Ovalle to drop this year in my rankings, from 16th down to 27th. A likely return to Ft. Myers will help to determine where he really belongs in the organization.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 6/15/1985
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 5th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/08)
#28 - Dwayne White (released c. 4/04/08)
White is a middling player who, like Ovalle, underperformed in Ft. Myers last year, hitting .236/618 in 347 AB's. That follows two remarkably consistent seasons in Beloit when he hit .261 and .258 in 268 and 322 AB's, respectively. Those numbers are probably not enough to earn White a promotion, and he could start to lose playing time to stronger players.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 4/7/1983
Drafted: Undrafted
Status: 4th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
Current Team: TBD
2008 Transactions: Released (c. 4/04/08)
#29 - Angel Morales
Morales comes out of the Puerto Rican baseball academy in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, and just turned 18 in November. His .256 average and 762 OPS in 121 AB's neither put him behind the 8-ball nor gave him any advantages going forward, but at least it did provide him some experience going forward into his first full year of professional ball. He's almost certain to start the season in Extended Spring Training/Instructional League before heading to one of the Rookie League clubs in June.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 11/24/1989
Drafted: 2007 (3rd Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Elizabethton Twins
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High R Elizabethton (6/17/08)
#30 - J.W. Wilson - Released (10/20/08)
Wilson, a Texan drafted in the 6th round back in 2005, missed all of 2007 and didn't play in 2005 after he was drafted. That means that the extent of his professional experience so far is 171 AB's (and a .228 average) with Elizabethton in 2006. Assuming he returns this year, it will probably be in Elizabethton once again. The reasonably powerful Wilson (6 homers in those 171 AB's) will probably need to establish himself this season or risk being of no further use to the organization.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 8/19/1986
Drafted: 2005 (6th Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: TBD
2008 Transactions: Released (10/20/08)
#31 - Wang-Wei Lin
Lin is out of Taiwan, and was signed as an 18-year-old back in 2006. He got the chance to get some experience in the GCL last season, where he hit .194/555 in 62 AB's. Needless to say, he's something of a work in progress. More than likely he'll be returning to the GCL again in 2008.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 6/28/1988
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team: GCL Twins
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low R GCL (6/19/08); 7-Day DL (c. 6/19/08); Activated from DL (8/12/o8)
#32 - Kevin Harrington (released c. 3/22/08)
Harrington barely played last year, getting 25 AB's in the GCL and hitting .160/542. Believe it or not, that was an improvement on 2006, when he hit .136/419 in 110 AB's. He will turn 20 in April, so age isn't necessarily a problem -- but those performances back-to-back to starrt of his career, I'm not holding out a lot of hope for Harrington's baseball-playing future.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 4/8/1988
Drafted: 2006 (12th Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team: TBD
2008 Transactions: released (c. 3/22/08)
#33 - Hyun-Wook Choi
Choi is a South Korean about whom I know very little. He was 18 when he was signed in 2007, but I don't know his birthday. I assume that he'll eventually get his start in the GCL like Wang-Wei Lin did this past year, but when that will happen is anyone's guess.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 6/28/1988
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team: GCL Twins
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low R GCL (6/19/08)
NR - Aaron Hicks
Aaron Hicks was the Twins' top pick in the 2008 draft, at #14 overall. The California high schooler is a product of the Urban Youth Academy, and is projected as a legit five tool player. At 6'2" and 170 pounds, he's on the light side but appears to have the frame to fill out. Hicks can also pitch, but he wants to play in the field and the Twins are on the same page. By signing immediately after graduating from high school, Hicks showed that he's fired up and ready to go -- and by ponying up with a market value contract, the Twins showed that they weren't going to play around either.
Bats/Throws: B/R
Birthdate: 10/02/1989
Drafted: 2008 (1st Round)
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team:
2008 Transactions: Drafted (6/05/08); Signed (6/13/08); Assigned to Low R GCL (6/19/08)
NR - Daniel Ortiz
Ortiz was taken by the Twins in the 4th round of the 2008 draft out of Benjamin Harrision High School in Puerto Rico. He fits the mold of the slim (and presumably fast) center fielders that the Twins seem to love drafting. His quick signing means his development can start immediately, which is nice to see for a young high school kid.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 1/05/1990
Drafted: 2008 (4th Round)
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team: GCL Twins
2008 Transactions: Drafted (6/05/08); Signed (c. 6/12/08); Assigned to Low R GCL (6/19/08)
NR - Evan Bigley
Bigley was taken by the Twins in the 10th Round of the 2008 draft out of Dallas Baptist University and is listed as a left fielder. Drafted after his junior year, Bigley has good size (6', 200 pounds) and a good track record in college. This past season, Bigley hit .333 with 13 homers in 249 AB's -- and I'm particularly interested in seeing how his power translates to the professional levels.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 3/09/1987
Drafted: 2008 (10th Round)
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Elizabethton Twins
2008 Transactions: Drafted (6/06/08); Signed (c. 6/10/08); Assigned to High R Elizabethton (6/17/08)
NR - Michael Harrington
Speaking of power, 13th round draft pick Michael Harrington out of the College of Charleston appears to have substantial power. In 2008 for C of C, he hit .316 with 26 homers in 234 AB's. Like Evan Bigley, Harrington is listed as a left-fielder and has almost identical size (6', 195 pounds). It appears that the Twins made something of an effort to draft and sign players with power, and it will be interesting to see how that pays off.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 10/06/1985
Drafted: 2008 (13th Round)
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Elizabethton Twins
2008 Transactions: Drafted (6/06/08); Signed (c. 6/10/08); Assigned to High R Elizabethton (6/17/08)
NR - Jonathan Goncalves
Goncalves is a Venezuelan who signed with the Twins back in 2005. He played in the Dominican Summer League last season, where he hit .234 with 16 steals in 209 AB's. Having just turned 19, there's still plenty of time for Goncalves to try to prove himself to the powers that be with the Twins.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 5/13/1989
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected Team: No Projection
Current Team: GCL Twins
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low R GCL (c. 6/26/08)
NR - Bobby Kielty (Released - 9/01/08)
Kielty, who played with the Twins from 2001 to 2003 before being traded to Toronto, returned to the Twins on a minor league contract on August 11. Kielty had spent the bulk of the 2008 season with Boston's AAA club in Pawtucket.
Bats/Throws: S/R
Birthdate: 8/05/1976
Drafted: Undrafted
Status: 10th Year Minor League Player
Projected Team: No Projection
Current Team: Rochester Red Wings
2008 Transactions: Signed (8/11/06); Assigned to AAA Rochester (8/11/08); Released (9/01/08)
NR - Joe Gaetti -- Minor League Free Agent (11/10/08)
The Twins acquired Joe Gaetti, the son of former Twin Gary Gaetti, from the A's in July for future considerations. Gaetti has a little bit of power and seems capable of hitting for a decent average, so it seems possible that he could find his way up to the big league club in the next few years.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 10/18/1981
Drafted: 2003 (12th Round)
Status: 6th Year Minor League Player
Projected Team: No Projection
Current Team: New Britain Rock Cats
2008 Transactions: Acquired from Oakland (c. 8/12/08); Assigned to New Britain (c. 8/12/08); 7-Day DL (8/15/08); Granted minor league free agency (11/10/08)
1.) Each player in the organization will be listed in only one of these posts. The determination of where to place a player was made based on the position at which the player received the most playing time during the 2007 season (with very rare exceptions), and I won't be moving players around during the season.
2.) These rankings are obviously being made prior to the start of the 2008 season, and I will not be updating them during the season. As a result, no matter how well a player performs in 2008, it will not affect his ranking.
3.) As with everything else that appears on this blog, these rankings represent my own subjective impressions. If you agree or disagree, feel free to respond with your own thoughts in the comments.
4.) Speaking of comments, I'm human and therefore make mistakes. If I've missed a player, added a player who is no longer with the team, incorrectly listed biographical information, or anything else, please let me know in the comments and I will address the mistake with a correction, if necessary.
5.) Players who leave the Twins organization (whether by release, trade, or any other circumstance) will remain in the rankings, but their listing will be in red font and the method by which they left the team will be noted. Players who join the Twins organization during the season will be added to the proper post, but will not be ranked; instead, they'll appear at the bottom of the list with the ranking of "NR," standing for "Not Ranked." This will be true whether the player is a 2008 draft pick or a former All-Star traded for at the deadline.
#1 - Michael Cuddyer
Cuddyer had a bit of a down-year in 2007 (although it was by no means horrible). Nonetheless, with the departure of Torii Hunter, Cuddyer is by far the most established outfielder in the Twins organization and has the best chance to have a great year in 2008. Now that the Twins seem to have a new (albeit very young and unproven) center fielder, hopefully they'll leave Cuddyer alone to patrol right field and nail runners who get a little greedy.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 3/27/1979
Drafted: 1997 (1st Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Signed 3-year, $24 million extension with $10.5 million option for 2011 (1/25/08); 15-Day DL (4/04/08); Activated from DL (4/25/08); 15-Day DL (6/29/08); Activated from DL (9/13/08)
#2 - Delmon Young
Young was the first big acquisition for the Twins this off-season, coming over from the Tampa Bay Rays along with SS Brendan Harris and CF Jason Pridie in exchange for RHP Matt Garza, RHP Eduardo Morlan, and SS Jason Bartlett. He should immediately solve the LF woes that seem to have plagued the Twins for the last couple of seasons. Young has always hit for average, but his power has yet to fully manifest itself. If Young takes a step forward in 2008, he could easily find himself at the top of this ranking next year.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 9/14/1985
Drafted: 2003 (1st Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: None
#3 - Jason Kubel
Here's where things start to get a bit more controversial. Kubel has been a top-level prospect in the organization for years now, and has yet to fully develop into the player that the team (and fans) have hoped he would. His knee injury of a couple of years ago is, of course, partly to blame -- but at this point that's far enough removed that its effects should be diminishing. Kubel seemed to take some strides forward last year, as he stayed in the big leagues all season and picked up 418 AB's, hitting .273 and knocking 13 balls out of the yard. The likely DH for the Twins in 2008, Kubel needs to continue moving forward -- a .280/20 HR/90 RBI season would be a good start. Because of his potential, I'm going to keep him at third on my list; failure to perform this season, however, will likely mean a severe re-thinking of his prospects.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 5/25/1982
Drafted: 2000 (12th Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: None
#4 - Carlos Gomez
Well, we might as well have hope, right? The centerpiece of the Johan Santana trade is considered to be a potential star, but so far in his professional career he's been only a mediocre-to-ok hitter with no power and tons of speed. Nonetheless, Gomez is still young enough that he's expected to continue to develop -- and the early returns suggest that he'll be doing so with the Twins rather than in the minor leagues. It could be a bit ugly to watch for the next couple of years as Gomez tries to figure out how to hit big league pitching, but if he ever puts it all together he should be a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder with superior speed. For that potential, he gets the #4 slot.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 12/4/1985
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Traded to the Minnesota Twins (2/2/08)
#5 - Erik Lis
I confess to being a big fan of Lis, who was ranked as a first baseman last year, and who still played a little over 1/4 of his games there in 2007. Last year was his third in the organization, and while his batting average tumbled to .274 in 492 AB's (his most as a professional), his power increased (18 homers, 34 doubles). The result was an OPS of 804, following seasons with a 933 OPS in Elizabethton in 2005 and of 949 in Beloit in 2006. Certainly, that was a step back, but he still performed well in Ft. Myers and should have earned himself another promotion. If he can continue to develop his power and reclaim some of his lost batting average points, Lis will continue to merit serious attention from Twins fans moving forward. I'm certainly not going to bet against him.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 3/8/1984
Drafted: 2005 (9th Round)
Status: 4th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: New Britain Rock Cats
Current Team: New Britain Rock Cats
2008 Transactions: Assigned to AA New Britain (4/03/08); 7-Day DL (8/05/08)
#6 - Jason Pridie
I'm anticipating some second-guessing on this selection, because there's a bundle of players who could be ranked anywhere between this spot and about #15 depending on what you value in your rankings. For me, I'm looking at the fact that Pridie had a very good 2007 in AA and AAA (.290 in 279 AB's at AA and .318 in 245 AB's at AAA), as well as the fact that with the exception of a few years in the Rays organization, he's been a solid player. His position at the top levels of the minor league system and my view of him as a very likely Major League player at some point in the not-too-distant future causes me to rank him this highly. I fully understand that not everyone is nearly as high on Pridie (many consider him a marginal player at best), but time will tell who is right on that front.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 10/9/1983
Drafted: 2002 (2nd Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Optioned to AAA Rochester (3/24/08); Recalled to Minnesota (9/02/08)
#7 - Denard Span
Span is a very tough player to rank. On the one hand, he's a high-level player who is on the roster and has a chance to win a Major League job out of spring training. On the other hand, he had a down-year in 2007, and with the addition of Carlos Gomez to the organization (not to mention Jason Pridie), there's a good chance that Span has become superfluous. Nonetheless, I still think that Span's speed and defensive abilities leave him with too much potential to be ignored. While some of the prospects that I've ranked below him may have better overall prospects, their status in the lower levels of the minor league system leave things too uncertain to justify a higher ranking -- and so Span stays in the same #7 spot he was in last year.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 2/27/1984
Drafted: 2002 (1st Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Optioned to AAA Rochester (3/24/08); Recalled to Minnesota (4/04/08); Optioned to AAA Rochester (4/24/08); 7-Day DL (c. 5/20/08); Activated from DL (6/12/08); Recalled to Minnesota (6/30/08)
#8 - Craig Monroe (Released - 8/6/08)
This one was hard for me as well, because I don't have a lot of faith in Monroe. Nonetheless, he's demonstrated that he can hit for power at the Major League level (28 homers in 2006 for the Tigers, when he hit .255 in 541 AB's). If he can win himself a job in Spring Training, he could become a potent force for the Twins as a backup outfielder and DH -- or he could falter entirely as he did last year for the Tigers and Cubs. Considering that he's just now entering his 30's, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and rank him this highly -- but honestly, there's an equally good chance that he could be out of the organization by the end of March.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 2/27/1977
Drafted: 1995 (8th Round)
Status: 40-Man Roster
Projected 2008 Team: Minnesota Twins
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
2008 Transactions: Designated for Assignment (8/01/08); Released (8/06/08)
#9 - Ben Revere
Revere was the Twins first round pick in last year's draft, and has only 191 AB's as a professional. Nonetheless, he performed extremely well for the GCL Twins last year (.325 in 191 AB's, 849 OPS, 21 SB), delivering as a first round pick should. The Twins are very high on his potential, even though he's years away from being able to contribute at the big league level. With no reason to doubt him at this point, I'm going to stick him in my top 10 -- and I think there's a very good chance that next year he could take a significant step forward if he gets a chance to play with a full-season team and delivers strong results.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 5/3/1988
Drafted: 2007 (1st Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/28/08)
#10 - Chris Parmelee
Another tough one. Parmelee is considered by many to be a top prospect with the Twins, but I'm not yet willing to sign up on the bandwagon. After starting his Twins career in the GCL, where he hit .279 in 154 AB's with 8 homers (and 47 K's), Parmelee was promoted to Beloit last season. Unfortunately, he regressed offensively, hitting just .239 with 15 HR's, 137 K's, and a 727 OPS in 447 AB's. He's still very young, and there's no reason to think that he can't turn it around (hence his placement at the end of my top 10). Nonetheless, at this point I couldn't possibly justify ranking him any higher.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 2/24/1988
Drafted: 2006 (1st Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/03/08); Placed on 7-Day DL (6/28/08)
#11 - Garrett Jones -- Minor League Free Agent (11/10/08)
Talk about a make-or-break spring: Jones is out of options and will turn 27 this year, meaning time is running out on any realistic chance he has of making the big leagues as a regular. Jones made his Major League debut last year for the Twins, where he hit .208 with 2 HR's in 77 AB's. If he makes the team out of Spring Training, it will be as a backup outfielder/first baseman/DH and as a left-handed bat off the bench. On the upside, Jones has shown flashes of significant power throughout his minor league career. On the downside, he's always struck out quite a bit, has never hit for average (although he did hit .280 in 400 AB's with the Red Wings last season, which is a good sign), and according to a lot of scouts he probably doesn't have what it takes to be a regular big leaguer. One of the more interesting questions of the spring could come if Jones doesn't make the team and has to clear waivers -- would anyone take a chance on him? Or would he wind up back in Rochester? At this point, it seems that we'll more than likely find out.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 6/21/1981
Drafted: 1999 (14th Round)
Status: 10th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Rochester Red Wings
2008 Transactions: Outrighted to AAA Rochester (3/21/08); Granted minor league free agency (11/10/08)
#12 - Brandon Roberts
He isn't often discussed as a top prospect in the organization, but Roberts (acquired from the Reds in 2006) has put up solid numbers virtually everywhere that he's played. As with the center fielders ranked above him (Gomez, Pridie, Span, Revere), he's a speedy player who will hit for average but not power. Seems like the Twins are trying to collect as many of these guys as they can! Last season, Roberts hit .293 in 369 AB's while stealing 14 bases for the New Britain Rock Cats, and because of the log-jam of center fielders ahead of him in the organization, he's likely bound for Connecticut again this season. Don't ignore him -- in a couple of years, he could be an interesting backup outfield option, or an important piece of a trade.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 11/9/1984
Drafted: 2005 (7th Round)
Status: 4th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: New Britain Rock Cats
Current Team: New Britain Rock Cats
2008 Transactions: Assigned to AA New Britain (4/03/08); 7-Day DL (4/28/08); Assigned to GCL Twins on Rehab Assignment (c. 6/29/08); Activated from DL (7/25/08)
#13 - Ozzie Lewis
The second of the Twins strong crop of 2008 outfield draft picks to make my rankings after Ben Revere, Lewis is a more advanced player who came out of Fresno State University. He began his professional career in Elizabethton, hitting .323 with an 898 OPS in 235 AB's -- a very strong showing for a player who was drafted in the 21st round. With a promotion to Beloit likely, it will be interesting to see if Lewis can maintain his first-year performance, or if he falls into the pack.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 3/21/1986
Drafted: 2007 (21st Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/03/08); 7-Day DL (7/20/08)
#14 - Joe Benson
Another player who is very well liked by prospects followers, but who in my mind has yet to deliver. Benson was drafted behind Parmelee in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft, and like Parmelee he started off in the GCL in 2006 (hitting .260 with a 779 OPS in 196 AB's) before going to Beloit in 2007 (where he hit .255 with a 715 OPS in 432 AB's). While his offensive drop-off wasn't as bad as Parmelee's, he also didn't perform terribly well. As with Parmelee, he's young enough that I wouldn't be too concerned just yet with his performance, but I also don't see a legitimate reason to rate him any higher than this just yet. A return engagement in Beloit seems likely -- but that could be an awfully crowded outfield, so it's a little hard to tell who might get a social promotion to Ft. Myers.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 3/5/1988
Drafted: 2006 (2nd Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/03/08); Placed on 7-Day DL (6/28/08)
#15 - Rene Tosoni
Tosoni emerged onto the scene rather unexpectedly last season after being drafted in 2005 and missing the 2006 season. In 236 AB's with Elizabethton, Tosoni hit .301 with an 835 OPS, 3 HR's, and 13 SB's. He seems to have a pretty solid swing and could be an interesting new player to follow going forward. Again, though, one of the interesting questions is where he'll actually end up playing -- the normal situation for a strong performer at Elizabethton would be a trip to Beloit the following season, but is there room? If not, who will get bumped up -- or down -- or off the roster entirely to make room?
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 7/2/1986
Drafted: 2004 (36th Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/08); 7-Day DL (5/17/08)
#16 - Andrew Schmiesing
Schmiesing, a native of Stillwater, had a short but solid first professional season with the GCL Twins. After being drafted in the 11th round of last year's draft, Schmiesing put up a .321 average and 779 OPS in 109 AB's while walking 18 times and striking out just 17. Schmiesing, out of St. Olaf College, may have to continue proving himself at the Rookie League level this season because of the glut of outfielders ready for Beloit next year. Nonetheless, his first season was an unqualified success, and it will be interesting to see whether he continues to move forward this season.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 5/24/1986
Drafted: 2007 (11th Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High R Elizabethton (6/17/08); Promoted to Low A Beloit (6/28/08)
#17 - Yangervis Solarte
Solarte is a Venezuelan who had a very solid season with the GCL Twins last year, hitting .303 with a 719 OPS in 175 AB's and striking out just 18 times. Like Schmiesing, Solarte will probably be stuck at the Rookie League level again this season (albeit the higher Elizabethton organization), but that could change if he's impressive in minor league spring training and gets a little lucky. Another interesting thing to note about Solarte is that he appears to be a bit of a utility player, having spent some time at 2B, SS, and 3B last season. If the Twins are really interested in advancing him to Beloit, then, they could probably get him some playing time as a super-sub.
Bats/Throws: B/R
Birthdate: 7/7/1987
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (c. 5/15/08)
#18 - Benjamin Petsch - RELEASED (5/18/08)
Petsch was drafted as a catcher, but played only one game at that position in 2007 for the Elizabethton Twins, instead getting the bulk of his rather limited playing time in the outfield. In 74 AB's, Petsch hit .311 with a 936 OPS, 2 HR's, and a very nice ratio of 21 walks to 15 K's. He also got three hits in 10 AB's with the Snappers, putting up a 1000 OPS in that short span. It certainly appears, then, that Petsch is ready for a promotion to Beloit -- but as I've been saying for the last several players, Beloit is a bit full. I'm still going to guess that Petsch will start the season with the Snappers, although he may be asked to catch a little and play a little 1B and DH as well as playing in the outfield.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 9/3/1984
Drafted: 2007 (19th Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Released (5/18/08)
#19 - Jon Knott - SOLD to Philadelphia (4/30/08)
Knott is a veteran minor leaguer who has made it to the big leagues three separate times, for a total of 31 AB's. In that limited action, he's posted a .194 average -- not exactly an indication that he's a big-league player. However, Knott has compiled a .280 career minor league batting average, so he's not a slouch. He's likely just insurance for the Twins, and whether they'll keep him around once the season starts is unknown. Even if he does stick around, however, he's unlikely to be much more than a one-year stop-gap in the minor league outfield.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 8/4/1978
Drafted: Undrafted
Status: 7th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: None
2008 Transactions: Sold to Philadelphia (4/30/08)
#20 - Doug Deeds - Traded to Chicago Cubs (4/11/08)
Few players suffered in my rankings as much as Deeds did this past year. After being ranked third on the first base list last season, Deeds has been shifted to the outfield. Unfortunately, a combination of poor 2007 performance (.243 average/710 OPS in 235 AB's) and a strong group of players in the outfield has caused me to rank him quite low on this list. Deeds still has some very strong lifetime minor league numbers (.291/837 OPS/51 HR's in 1821 AB's), but last season's uninspiring performance and relatively few at-bats were enough to get Deeds this low ranking.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 6/2/1982
Drafted: 2002 (9th Round)
Status: 7th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Rochester Red Wings
2008 Transactions: 7-Day DL (3/30/08); Traded to Chicago Cubs as the Player to be Named Later in the trade that brought the Twins Craig Monroe (4/11/08)
#21 - Dustin Martin
This is actually a pretty low ranking for a guy who has been remarkably successful in his short time in the organization, but that's largely because I know a bit less about him than I do about the guys ahead of him on the list. Martin was acquired last season when the Twins sent Luis Castillo to the Mets, and he kept right on hitting as he had after being drafted in 2006 (.312/843 in 253 AB's in a low-A league) and in early 2007 (.287/779 in 363 AB's in a high-A league). With the Ft. Myers Miracle after the trade, Martin hit .294/803 in 119 AB's. In other words, Martin appears to be a perfectly serviceable young ballplayer who will continue to try to prove his worth to the organization in his first full year with the team.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 4/4/1984
Drafted: 2006 (26th Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: New Britain Rock Cats
Current Team: New Britain Rock Cats
2008 Transactions: Assigned to AA New Britain (4/03/08)
#22 - Juan Portes
Portes ranked 8th on my second base list last year, but he got the majority of his playing time in 2007 in the outfield with the Ft. Myers Miracle. That's not to say that he didn't play in a variety of positions -- he got nearly as many games at 3B as in the outfield, and played 25 games at second as well, meaning that he actually played more in the infield than he did in the outfield. Still, by my rules he gets placed on the outfield list, and going up against some very good players at that position he finds himself towards the bottom. Last season, Portes hit .269 with a 746 OPS in 495 AB's -- significantly more playing time than he had received in any previous year. With his ability to play at multiple positions, he could find himself playing wherever the organization needs a utility guy.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 11/26/1985
Drafted: 2004 (15th Round)
Status: 5th Season Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: New Britain Rock Cats
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/o8)
#23 - Darnell McDonald -- Minor League Free Agent (11/10/08)
McDonald was acquired last year from the Washington Nationals in exchange for the Nats keeping the rights to rule 5 pick Levale Speigner (who the Nats decided to send to the minor leagues). McDonald is a minor league veteran, having played professionally since 1998. As such, his acquisition was a bit of a mystery, but the Twins did actually call him up to the big leagues for a 10 AB stretch (he picked up 1 hit and walked once). McDonald is now out of options, and is unlikely to make the team out of spring training. As a result, it seems quite likely that he'll need to clear waivers following spring training or else will end up with another team. Considering that he's something of a journeyman (in the last four years he's been in the Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Washington, and Minnesota organizations), the demand for him probably isn't that high, so a stint with the Red Wings seems on tap.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 11/17/1978
Drafted: 1997 (1st Round)
Status: 11th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Rochester Red Wings
Current Team: Rochester Red Wings
2008 Transactions: Released and Re-signed (c. 2/21/08); Assigned to AAA Rochester (3/29/08); 7-Day DL (3/30/08); Activated from 7-Day DL (c. 4/12/08); 7-Day DL (c. 5/14/08); Activated from 7-Day DL (5/22/08); 7-Day DL (7/31/08); Granted minor league free agency (11/10/08)
#24 - Eli Tintor
Last year hurt Tintor significantly in my rankings, as he struggled mightily at High A Ft. Myers, where he hit just .178/488 in 185 AB's. To his credit, he recovered in Low A Beloit, hitting .286/772 in 203 AB's. That may make my ranking too harsh, but I'm not comfortable putting him above any of the players I have ahead of him in my rankings. He will likely begin this season in Ft. Myers, getting another chance to prove that he can play at that level -- if he does reasonably well there, it will show that my ranking was much too harsh. If he struggles, it may indicate that he's hit something of a ceiling.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 12/24/1984
Drafted: 2003 (18th Round)
Status: 6th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/08); Placed on Restricted List (4/04/08); Activated from Restricted List (5/27/08)
#25 - Mark Dolenc
As is the case with many of the players on this list, Dolenc has a bit of a gripe about being ranked so lowly. Last season in Elizabethton, Dolenc hit .287/772 in 230 AB's -- a solid season that normally would be enough to earn him a promotion to Beloit. Will it be enough this year, with so many other players competing for that spot? Time will tell. So, why do I have Dolenc ranked so low? It largely is a function of where I had him ranked last year (28th) and the fact that so many of the people above him either had much better years or are much further advanced.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 11/8/1984
Drafted: 2006 (15th Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins / Beloit Snappers
Current Team: Beloit Snappers
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low A Beloit (4/03/08)
#26 - Danny Santiesteban
Another victim of a poor season and an influx of young talent. Santiesteban advanced to Beloit last season, where he hit just .219/617 in 338 AB's. Unfortunately, that continued a career trend that has seen him play worse each year as a professional. In 2005, with the GCL Twins, Santiesteban hit .307/1005 in 75 AB's. Then, with Elizabethton in 2006, he hit .250/726 in 244 AB's. That kind of regression will not endear him to the team, and hopefully he can reverse the trend in 2008. I'm predicting that he'll be promoted to make room for the influx of younger players to Beloit, but it may be more likely for one of the newbies to skip Beloit and go straight to Ft. Myers instead.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 2/17/1985
Drafted: 2004 (39th Round)
Status: 4th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/08)
#27 - Edward Ovalle
Ovalle spent his 2007 season in Ft. Myers, where he hit just .222/631 in 427 AB's. That followed an ok season in Beloit in 2006 (.261/702 in 471 AB's) and a strong season in Elizabethton in 2005 (.285/809 in 239 AB's). Stop me if you've heard this before, but that regular regression trend coupled with the influx of talent caused Ovalle to drop this year in my rankings, from 16th down to 27th. A likely return to Ft. Myers will help to determine where he really belongs in the organization.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 6/15/1985
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 5th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
Current Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High A Ft. Myers (4/03/08)
#28 - Dwayne White (released c. 4/04/08)
White is a middling player who, like Ovalle, underperformed in Ft. Myers last year, hitting .236/618 in 347 AB's. That follows two remarkably consistent seasons in Beloit when he hit .261 and .258 in 268 and 322 AB's, respectively. Those numbers are probably not enough to earn White a promotion, and he could start to lose playing time to stronger players.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 4/7/1983
Drafted: Undrafted
Status: 4th Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
Current Team: TBD
2008 Transactions: Released (c. 4/04/08)
#29 - Angel Morales
Morales comes out of the Puerto Rican baseball academy in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, and just turned 18 in November. His .256 average and 762 OPS in 121 AB's neither put him behind the 8-ball nor gave him any advantages going forward, but at least it did provide him some experience going forward into his first full year of professional ball. He's almost certain to start the season in Extended Spring Training/Instructional League before heading to one of the Rookie League clubs in June.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 11/24/1989
Drafted: 2007 (3rd Round)
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Elizabethton Twins
2008 Transactions: Assigned to High R Elizabethton (6/17/08)
#30 - J.W. Wilson - Released (10/20/08)
Wilson, a Texan drafted in the 6th round back in 2005, missed all of 2007 and didn't play in 2005 after he was drafted. That means that the extent of his professional experience so far is 171 AB's (and a .228 average) with Elizabethton in 2006. Assuming he returns this year, it will probably be in Elizabethton once again. The reasonably powerful Wilson (6 homers in those 171 AB's) will probably need to establish himself this season or risk being of no further use to the organization.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 8/19/1986
Drafted: 2005 (6th Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: TBD
2008 Transactions: Released (10/20/08)
#31 - Wang-Wei Lin
Lin is out of Taiwan, and was signed as an 18-year-old back in 2006. He got the chance to get some experience in the GCL last season, where he hit .194/555 in 62 AB's. Needless to say, he's something of a work in progress. More than likely he'll be returning to the GCL again in 2008.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 6/28/1988
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 2nd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team: GCL Twins
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low R GCL (6/19/08); 7-Day DL (c. 6/19/08); Activated from DL (8/12/o8)
#32 - Kevin Harrington (released c. 3/22/08)
Harrington barely played last year, getting 25 AB's in the GCL and hitting .160/542. Believe it or not, that was an improvement on 2006, when he hit .136/419 in 110 AB's. He will turn 20 in April, so age isn't necessarily a problem -- but those performances back-to-back to starrt of his career, I'm not holding out a lot of hope for Harrington's baseball-playing future.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 4/8/1988
Drafted: 2006 (12th Round)
Status: 3rd Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team: TBD
2008 Transactions: released (c. 3/22/08)
#33 - Hyun-Wook Choi
Choi is a South Korean about whom I know very little. He was 18 when he was signed in 2007, but I don't know his birthday. I assume that he'll eventually get his start in the GCL like Wang-Wei Lin did this past year, but when that will happen is anyone's guess.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 6/28/1988
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team: GCL Twins
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low R GCL (6/19/08)
NR - Aaron Hicks
Aaron Hicks was the Twins' top pick in the 2008 draft, at #14 overall. The California high schooler is a product of the Urban Youth Academy, and is projected as a legit five tool player. At 6'2" and 170 pounds, he's on the light side but appears to have the frame to fill out. Hicks can also pitch, but he wants to play in the field and the Twins are on the same page. By signing immediately after graduating from high school, Hicks showed that he's fired up and ready to go -- and by ponying up with a market value contract, the Twins showed that they weren't going to play around either.
Bats/Throws: B/R
Birthdate: 10/02/1989
Drafted: 2008 (1st Round)
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team:
2008 Transactions: Drafted (6/05/08); Signed (6/13/08); Assigned to Low R GCL (6/19/08)
NR - Daniel Ortiz
Ortiz was taken by the Twins in the 4th round of the 2008 draft out of Benjamin Harrision High School in Puerto Rico. He fits the mold of the slim (and presumably fast) center fielders that the Twins seem to love drafting. His quick signing means his development can start immediately, which is nice to see for a young high school kid.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Birthdate: 1/05/1990
Drafted: 2008 (4th Round)
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: GCL Twins
Current Team: GCL Twins
2008 Transactions: Drafted (6/05/08); Signed (c. 6/12/08); Assigned to Low R GCL (6/19/08)
NR - Evan Bigley
Bigley was taken by the Twins in the 10th Round of the 2008 draft out of Dallas Baptist University and is listed as a left fielder. Drafted after his junior year, Bigley has good size (6', 200 pounds) and a good track record in college. This past season, Bigley hit .333 with 13 homers in 249 AB's -- and I'm particularly interested in seeing how his power translates to the professional levels.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 3/09/1987
Drafted: 2008 (10th Round)
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Elizabethton Twins
2008 Transactions: Drafted (6/06/08); Signed (c. 6/10/08); Assigned to High R Elizabethton (6/17/08)
NR - Michael Harrington
Speaking of power, 13th round draft pick Michael Harrington out of the College of Charleston appears to have substantial power. In 2008 for C of C, he hit .316 with 26 homers in 234 AB's. Like Evan Bigley, Harrington is listed as a left-fielder and has almost identical size (6', 195 pounds). It appears that the Twins made something of an effort to draft and sign players with power, and it will be interesting to see how that pays off.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Birthdate: 10/06/1985
Drafted: 2008 (13th Round)
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected 2008 Team: Elizabethton Twins
Current Team: Elizabethton Twins
2008 Transactions: Drafted (6/06/08); Signed (c. 6/10/08); Assigned to High R Elizabethton (6/17/08)
NR - Jonathan Goncalves
Goncalves is a Venezuelan who signed with the Twins back in 2005. He played in the Dominican Summer League last season, where he hit .234 with 16 steals in 209 AB's. Having just turned 19, there's still plenty of time for Goncalves to try to prove himself to the powers that be with the Twins.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 5/13/1989
Drafted: International Signing
Status: 1st Year Minor League Player
Projected Team: No Projection
Current Team: GCL Twins
2008 Transactions: Assigned to Low R GCL (c. 6/26/08)
NR - Bobby Kielty (Released - 9/01/08)
Kielty, who played with the Twins from 2001 to 2003 before being traded to Toronto, returned to the Twins on a minor league contract on August 11. Kielty had spent the bulk of the 2008 season with Boston's AAA club in Pawtucket.
Bats/Throws: S/R
Birthdate: 8/05/1976
Drafted: Undrafted
Status: 10th Year Minor League Player
Projected Team: No Projection
Current Team: Rochester Red Wings
2008 Transactions: Signed (8/11/06); Assigned to AAA Rochester (8/11/08); Released (9/01/08)
NR - Joe Gaetti -- Minor League Free Agent (11/10/08)
The Twins acquired Joe Gaetti, the son of former Twin Gary Gaetti, from the A's in July for future considerations. Gaetti has a little bit of power and seems capable of hitting for a decent average, so it seems possible that he could find his way up to the big league club in the next few years.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Birthdate: 10/18/1981
Drafted: 2003 (12th Round)
Status: 6th Year Minor League Player
Projected Team: No Projection
Current Team: New Britain Rock Cats
2008 Transactions: Acquired from Oakland (c. 8/12/08); Assigned to New Britain (c. 8/12/08); 7-Day DL (8/15/08); Granted minor league free agency (11/10/08)
Labels: 2008 Organizational Rankings
posted by JST @ Thursday, January 31, 2008
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