My top 25 Twins prospects

Everybody loves prospects lists. This is my 25th year of compiling one. I have to say I am not very systematic about it. I spend a lot of time reading about prospects, looking at stats and following minor league games. I then formulate an intuitive ranking, based on some hybrid of upside and performance. In addition to raw numbers, I try to factor in age, level and scouting into my evaluation. But I don't sit down with a computer program and feed all the variables into some formula. It's more like an eyeball estimate.

This year for the first time in my 25 years of making a list, several prospects had very little pro experience to help guage their prospect ranking. In those cases, it is all upside. But the Twins added more high-upside guys in one year than they have since I've followed the system--an indication that the Carl Pohlad days of nixing international signings and discouraging expensive drafting are over. We see the benefits of the Jim Pohlad era: Get the best talent money can buy when it's relatively cheap; develop it into high-end talent; and win. With the new approach, the second decade of the 21st century looks even brighter than the first for the Twins.

1. Kyle Gibson: The best pitcher in the 2009 draft not named Strasburg.

2. Miguel Angel Jean: The kid formerly known as Sano is the best position prospect the Twins have had since Mauer. He's just very very young.

3. Wilson Ramos: Look for a breakout year unless he gets hurt again. The best catching prospect in baseball.

4. Aaron Hicks: A disappointing season at Beloit does little to dampen his stock. He's got Torii Hunter tools.

5. David Bromberg: His numbers over the last three years rival Matt Garza's first two, but he's two years younger than Garza was at this point.

6. Danny Valencia:  A late slump in AAA stands between him and a starting job in the majors.

7. Billy Bullock: I was shocked he was still available when the Twins drafted in the second round. He may have the biggest arm in the system.

8. Ben Revere: He has the best contact skills and batting eye the system has seen since Joe Mauer came through the minors. His arm and size limit his upside.

9. Angel Morales: The opposite of Revere--what he lacks in contact skills and batting eye he makes up for in power and arm.

10. Adrian Salcedo: He's only 18. But a 58/3 K/BB rate in the GCL makes you stand up and take notice. He's said to have a mid-90s fastball already.

11. Jorge Polanco: Before the Twins signed Jean, he was the best Latin prospect the Twins had signed since Cuba was closed. He's still very raw and could play in the DSL in 2010. But he has great tools.

12. Ben Tootle: Not many guys throw in the upper 90s with sink.

13. Rene Tosoni: He has not played a lot in his life. But when he has played, he's been very good. The highlight was winning the 2009 Futures Game MVP last year.

14. Carlos Gutierrez: His struggles in New Britain had more to do with fatigue than ability. He still possesses the best sinker in the minors.

15. Matthew Bashore: The 2009 sandwich pick is more than just a pitchability lefty.

16. Max Kepler: This guy has phenomenal tools. Let's see how he does as a 17 year old in the GCL.

17. Tom Stuifbergen: He has done very well in rookie ball. But what really excites me is how he pitched against the Dominican in the WBC last spring. He dominated major league hitters.

18. Alex Burnett: After he was converted to a reliever, he was lights out. Possibly the next Twins closer.

19. Joe Benson: Turned a corner last year and finally started to turn his tremendous tools into baseball skills.

20. BJ Hermsen: He pitched great in the GCL last year, and I don't think he's squeezed all the stuff out of a 6-6, 230-lb body.

21. Chris Parmelee: 16 HR and 27 doubles in the FSL is nothing to sneeze at.

22. Tyler Robertson: He's no longer the big arm that he once was. But he's a big strong lefty with plenty of upside and very good numbers last year in the FSL.

23. Derrick McCallum: The top position player out of the Big Ten last year.

24. Deolis Guerra: He held his own and occasionally dominated in AA as a 20 year old. Needs to work on consistency.

25. Mike McCardell: An injury limited him late last year. Otherwise, he's had a very good minor league career for a pitchability guy.