Miguel Sano, Aaron Hicks Make MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects for 2012

by Jesse on Jan 26, 2012 10:19 AM EST in News

MLB.com thinks that Aaron Hicks could develop all of his skills as he gets older, a bit like Torii Hunter.

If there is one player in the Twins organization who you expected to be on this list, it's Miguel Sano. He's a special talent, appearing at #23 on MLB.com's top 100 list but topping Baseball America's 2012 prospect list for the Twins. Sano is Twinkie Town's top prospect, too.

MLB.com places Sano's ETA at 2014, which would be his age 21 season. This seems a bit early, considering he was still in rookie ball in 2011. When we tried to estimate top prospect arrivals, we looked at the average time it takes a player from a certain position to reach the Majors and concluded that Sano would reach the Twins sometime between 2015 and 2016. That still makes him just 22 or 23, but it also seems like a very, very long way off.

It's feasible that Sano flies through the system, perhaps starting the 2014 season in Rochester and getting a callup later in the season. But if he were to make the Opening Day roster that year, I doubt any of us would be disappointed. This team needs young talent and needs it fast. Unfortunately, 2014 will have to suffice.

Speaking of young talent, the other player on MLB.com's list is Aaron Hicks, who slides in at #72. Hicks was the only other player who I thought had the chance to crack the top 100, although I was no longer sure he would. Particularly since he is no longer a top 10 outfielder according to the same source. Clearly his tools, particularly his speed, his patience (passiveness?) at the plate, and his raw and as-of-yet undeveloped power, still appeal to scouts. Which is good to hear.

Interestingly, Hicks drops to number four on Baseball America's list of top Twins prospects for 2012. Joe Benson is a sneaky and odd choice for number two, while Eddie Rosario is a well-deserved number three. Twinkie Town's top three include Sano follwed by Rosario, Oswaldo Arcia, and then Hicks fourth again.

In the post I referenced earlier, we estimated that Hicks would make his MLB debut in 2013...at the earliest. That would be his age 23 season. MLB.com has him arriving one year later, in 2014, apparently spending all of this year and next between double-A and triple-A.

More Twins top prospect reading...

Chris Parmelee MLB.com's #5 first base prospect
Miguel Sano MLB.com's #2 third base prospect
Anything by Seth Stohs

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BA doesn't agree with itself?

OK, Hicks is the fourth best prospect in the Twins organization with Rosario and Benson ahead of him. But Hicks makes the Top 100 while the two they have rated ahead of him don’t? I find that hard to understand. I guess they must have different people doing the different lists and they aren’t in agreement.

by roger13 on Jan 26, 2012 2:09 PM EST reply actions

This isn't BA, it's MLB.com

by Gunnarthor on Jan 26, 2012 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

Sounds like we have to wait a bit for BA's 100 list still

Not that these lists matter, but then who doesn’t like a good fight over who’s is longer

by twinscrazy_german on Jan 26, 2012 2:33 PM EST up reply actions

Roger13

Is referring to the top prospects for 2012. Of course he doesn’t realize that the list he is referring to is the 2011 Baseball America Prospect List. That list has Aaron Hicks ranked ahead of Miguel Sano and Kyle Gibson is ranked ahead of both of them.

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by Jessy S on Jan 26, 2012 3:33 PM EST up reply actions

Aaron Hicks

Aaron Hicks will be a flop. I’ve stated before, I know James Beresford fairly well. So each of the past 3 years we’ve been to watch him for about a week at a time. Never has Aaron Hicks impressed me too much. As a 22-year old myself, I could put the ball in play at the dish more times than Hicks does. He may be a bit faster than myself and have a better arm, but nothing impresses me with him. Maybe I fell through the cracks, Idk. I’m not joking either, Hicks is not very impressive to me…..call me a hater.

by Jared Maier on Jan 26, 2012 6:29 PM EST reply actions

He could be a bust as a hitter

And then emerge as a pitcher. His arm is fantastic. And his defense is very good. We will see.

by clutterheart on Jan 26, 2012 6:51 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Jared Maier

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by montanatwinsfan on Jan 26, 2012 7:12 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs

You got the wrong site

You want www.beerleaguebaseball.com

In any case, Aaron Hicks could be converted into a pitcher.

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by Jessy S on Jan 26, 2012 7:50 PM EST up reply actions

Completely disagree on Hicks...

I find it hard to imagine that he won’t be at LEAST an above average regular considering his age/skills/OBP skills at a premium position. In the very worst case possible, for instance, I see him as being a better overall player than Ben Revere. In the best case scenario, he’s still a perennial all-star at one of the most premier positions on the field.

He’d be a lot closer to the bigs and a lot higher on a lot of these lists if they would just give up the switch-hitting crap with him. I think he’s going to shut a lot of people up over the next year or two. We shall see.

by DJSkillz on Jan 27, 2012 12:17 AM EST reply actions

But the problem is that the Twins have a lot of left handed hitters

It might not be a problem to try to create a switch hitter.

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by Jessy S on Jan 27, 2012 2:44 AM EST up reply actions

If Hicks gave up switch-hitting,

it would be to bat right-handed, not left-handed.

by latestalias on Jan 27, 2012 9:53 AM EST up reply actions

My mistake

Usually my only sources are from the likes of Roger13 and Seth Speaks.

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by Jessy S on Jan 27, 2012 11:55 AM EST up reply actions

I hope you're right.

Because he can be an exciting player.

by Jesse on Jan 27, 2012 8:13 AM EST up reply actions

Low-minors OBP skills...

disappear up the ladder if you can’t put the bat on the ball with authority, which he’s shown few signs of being able to do as a LHB. I want them to try him RH-only, but we don’t know for sure that he’ll have an ordinary, 1.09ish split since it’s not like he’s had a ton of practice looking at same-side pitches.

by tobynotjason on Jan 27, 2012 11:57 PM EST up reply actions

Same-side is overrated

A lot of guys actually see the ball better out of the hand from the same side. I know I did. I tried switch hitting. Everything from the left side was mechanically sound. I hit everything up the middle. But I couldn’t drive the ball and I actually saw the ball worse from right-handed pitchers when I hit from the left side. So I stopped.

Why not try it for a couple of months in AA and see how it works? If he’s not comfortable with it, he can revert to switch hitting.

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by cmathewson on Jan 28, 2012 6:14 PM EST up reply actions

He's feast or famine so far

I for one would have no issues having a CF that can post an .800 OPS, which Hicks did this fall. His problem is the extreem peaks and valleys he’s going through. I’m not sure if part of that is due to the injury he sustained this year or what, but the guy’s ups and downs are maddening. I wouldn’t be ready to call him a bust just yet, but there’s no way he’s the 2nd best prospect in this system… Twinkie town’s list at 4 seems more correct, as I suspect most would rather have Arcia or Rosario to Hicks right now.

by diehardtwinsfan on Jan 28, 2012 4:42 PM EST reply actions

I can see it both ways...

If your prospect list is about potential, Hicks is not only #2, he’s #1. Because of his premium position and all-around skills. IMO.

Also, one can say he’s declining as he moves up the ladder, but we also have no idea what any of these other guys will do (Sano/Arcia/Rosales) as they move up the ladder too. It works both ways.

I remain high on all of Hicks, Sano, Arcia, Rosales, Michael, Morales, and Benson. I think all of them will be major league contributors, and most of them will end up as impact players. IMO.

by DJSkillz on Jan 28, 2012 5:38 PM EST up reply actions