Alex Wimmers was eventually going to be awarded a spot on our list. Over the last few rounds people voted for him, but his representation in the comments section was almost non-existent. Still, you can see why he'd be voted onto our prospect list at this point - in spite of throwing relatively few innings since being drafted by the Twins in the first round of the 2010 draft, he's still a recent first round draft pick.
Below we've introduced
Adam Walker, OF
2013 Age: 21
2012 Top Level: Elizabethton, 252 PA (Rookie)
Year | Age | Lev | PA | H | 2B | HR | BB | SO | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | 20 | Rk | 252 | 58 | 7 | 14 | 19 | 76 | .250 | .310 | .496 |
1 Season | 252 | 58 | 7 | 14 | 19 | 76 | .250 | .310 | .496 |
We have yet another rookie-level player on our list. Rookie-level players are so far away from the majors that their upside is still hazy, which isn't always a bad thing but it's easier to be optimistic about players whose track records don't have years of dents and scouting reports about downside. In the case of Walker, the Twins like his power. The danger here is in the strikeout totals. If he doesn't clear that up, he could fall off of our list completely by this time next year.
Levi Michael, SS/2B
2013 Age: 22
2012 Top Level: Fort Myers, 512 PA (Advanced A)
Year | Age | Lev | PA | H | 2B | HR | SB | CS | BB | SO | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | 21 | A+ | 512 | 106 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 56 | 82 | .246 | .339 | .311 |
Another first round draft pick, taken one year after Wimmers, Michael made his organizational debut last season and sputtered a bit. His 11% walk rate was solid, but he didn't make strong contact very often and showed next to no power. Defensively he's seen as a better fit at second than at short. It would be nice to see him develop, since the Twins took him to directly address the massive middle infield depth problem in the organization. He was seen as a relatively polished player who could move quickly (again, just like Wimmers), so keep your fingers crossed for better results in 2013.
DJ Baxendale, RHP
2013 Age: 22
2012 Top Level: Beloit, 11.0 IP (Single-A)
Year | Age | Lev | G | GF | SV | IP | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | 21 | Rk | 0.00 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 7.2 | 0.261 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 18.8 |
2012 | 21 | A | 1.64 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 11.0 | 1.182 | 9.8 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 12.3 |
1 Season | 0.96 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 18.2 | 0.804 | 6.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 14.9 |
Another 2012 draft selection, Baxendale posted killer numbers last summer. His stuff is considered average, but with a moving fastball, a changeup, and a pair of decent breaking pitches in a curve and slider, he has a wide arsenal for a reliever. Like many of his 2012 draftee contemporaries, 2013 will begin the process of separating the men from the boys. Do you think he has what it takes?
Zach Jones, RHP
2013 Age: 22
2012 Top Level: Beloit, 14.0 IP (Single-A)
Year | Age | Lev | G | GF | SV | IP | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | 21 | Rk | 0.00 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 6.0 | 1.000 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 13.5 |
2012 | 21 | A | 3.21 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 14.0 | 1.143 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 4.5 | 16.1 |
1 Season | 2.25 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 20.0 | 1.100 | 5.0 | 0.4 | 5.0 | 15.3 |
And still ANOTHER 2012 draft selection, and yet another 2012 draft pitcher, Jones leans on his fastball and slider. Adding a third pitch would be good, but a bigger matter for Jones is working on his command. Whether his walk rates are just a result of a small sample size or mechanics or something else entirely I'm not sure, but even if the Twins are changing their philosophy on the profile of pitchers they like to target they're still going to want a guy whose walk rates are acceptable.
B.J. Hermsen, RHP
2013 Age: 23
2012 Top Level: New Britain, 139.2 IP (Double-A)
Year | Age | Lev | G | GS | IP | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | 19 | Rk | 1.35 | 10 | 10 | 53.1 | 0.675 | 5.4 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 7.1 |
2010 | 20 | Rk | 3.32 | 8 | 6 | 38.0 | 1.132 | 9.2 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 9.2 |
2010 | 20 | A | 5.00 | 12 | 12 | 72.0 | 1.389 | 10.6 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 5.8 |
2011 | 21 | A | 3.10 | 21 | 20 | 124.2 | 1.299 | 9.5 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 5.8 |
2011 | 21 | A+ | 4.39 | 5 | 5 | 26.2 | 1.500 | 11.5 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 6.8 |
2012 | 22 | A+ | 0.78 | 4 | 4 | 23.0 | 0.913 | 6.3 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 4.7 |
2012 | 22 | AA | 3.22 | 22 | 22 | 139.2 | 1.217 | 9.3 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 4.8 |
4 Seasons | 3.21 | 82 | 79 | 477.1 | 1.198 | 9.1 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 5.9 |
There's nothing wrong with making your Double-A debut at 22. There's nothing wrong with a 3.21 minor league career ERA in 477 innings. But when your strikeout rates are already abysmal, there isn't much more pinpoint control can do for you. Is there? Some circles like Hermsen. How about you?
Nate Roberts, LF/RF
2013 Age: 24
2012 Top Level: Beloit, 352 PA (Single-A)
Year | Age | Lev | PA | H | 2B | HR | SB | CS | BB | SO | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | 21 | Rk | 153 | 43 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 21 | 29 | .336 | .444 | .547 |
2011 | 22 | A | 283 | 67 | 12 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 28 | 48 | .302 | .443 | .446 |
2012 | 23 | A | 352 | 84 | 18 | 4 | 27 | 8 | 44 | 37 | .299 | .433 | .427 |
3 Seasons | 788 | 194 | 40 | 13 | 41 | 14 | 93 | 114 | .307 | .439 | .458 |
What keeps Roberts from being up for voting earlier in this process in his age and level. A player whose career batting average in the minors is .307 with an on-base percentage of .439 is nothing to sneeze at, but when you're 23 at single-A your successes have to be tempered. Roberts probably deserves to sit somewhere in the 20s range, but the question for you is: does he deserve to be a Top 25 talent in the Minnesota system?
Corey Williams, LHP
2013 Age: 22
2012 Top Level: Beloit, 62.1 IP (Single-A)
Year | Age | Lev | G | GF | SV | IP | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | 20 | Rk | 3.86 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 11.2 | 1.457 | 9.3 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 8.5 |
2012 | 21 | A | 3.47 | 47 | 36 | 17 | 62.1 | 1.412 | 7.9 | 0.7 | 4.8 | 9.8 |
2 Seasons | 3.53 | 54 | 39 | 18 | 74.0 | 1.419 | 8.1 | 0.6 | 4.6 | 9.6 |
People like Willaims' polish and stuff, although both of those are considered intangibles and don't necessarily translate to success in the future. He's still striking out more than 20% of batters though, and roughly half of his balls in play have been on the ground, so there are parts of his game that you can see working. His fastball and slider are both pitches he'll lean on going forward.
Tyler Duffey, RHP
2013 Age: 22
2012 Top Level: Elizabethton, 19 IP (Rookie)
Year | Age | Lev | G | IP | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | 21 | Rk | 1.42 | 12 | 19.0 | 0.632 | 4.7 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 12.8 |
1 Season | 1.42 | 12 | 19.0 | 0.632 | 4.7 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 12.8 |
Duffey is the 74th pitcher on our ballot as a member of the 2012 draft class. As a 21-year old facing largely much younger competition, Duffey did exactly what you'd expect a fairly polished collegiate pitcher to do. Like his former college teammate J.T. Chargois who hit earlier on our list, the next year will go a long way in determining what happens to his prospect status.
Kennys Vargas, 1B
2013 Age: 22
2012 Top Level: Beloit, 186 PA (Single-A)
Year | Age | Lev | PA | 2B | HR | BB | SO | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | 18 | Rk | 130 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 34 | .257 | .369 | .404 |
2010 | 19 | Rk | 160 | 15 | 3 | 13 | 40 | .324 | .388 | .507 |
2011 | 20 | Rk | 191 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 50 | .322 | .377 | .489 |
2012 | 21 | A | 186 | 10 | 11 | 28 | 41 | .318 | .419 | .610 |
4 Seasons | 667 | 43 | 23 | 73 | 165 | .309 | .390 | .509 |
Remember Erik Lis? That guy could mash, but his upside was limited to designated hitter. That could be Vargas, although Vargas also has a hard time keeping his weight in check. Granted, Vargas has better contact skills than Lis and more power, but we're kind of looking at the same player. At 22 this season, he needs to be in Double-A by the end of the year and he needs to continue to put up undeniably strong numbers in order to maintain his prospect potential.