In another closely-contested vote, Sean Gilmartin topped Miguel Sulbaran by two votes. It was just 22% of the total, which is a disappointing number again and may make it worth re-thinking how many players we include in later-round ballots next year, but however we look at it - Gilmartin wins!
Twinkie Town Top 22 Prospects for 2014
- Byron Buxton, CF
- Miguel Sano, 3B
- Alex Meyer, RHP
- Eddie Rosario, 2B/OF
- Kohl Stewart, RHP
- Josmil Pinto, C
- Jose Berrios, RHP
- Jorge Polanco, 2B/SS
- Max Kepler, CF
- Lewis Thorpe, LHP
- Trevor May, RHP
- Adam Brett Walker, RF
- Felix Jorge, RHP
- Stephen Gonsalves, LHP
- Michael Tonkin, RHP
- Travis Harrison, 3B
- Danny Santana, SS
- Kennys Vargas, 1B
- Ryan Eades, RHP
- Zack Jones, RHP
- Fernando Romero, RHP
- Sean Gilmartin, LHP
- For each round, a certain number of players will be presented with statistical history, a brief overview, and other basic information such as age and level.
- Once on a ballot, players will remain on the ballot until they eventually win a vote (barring something drastic, like a trade).
- Sometimes no players will be added to subsequent ballots. Sometimes more than one player will be added. Early rounds will have fewer players for which to vote, and later rounds are more likely to have more.
- Share with your friends! Let's get as many votes as possible.
- A general list has already been assembled, and players are slated to join the voting at a specified time, but you are welcome to recommend players that you think should be added in the following round.
Players up in Round 22: Miguel Sulbaran, D.J. Baxendale, Amaurys Minier, Stuart Turner, Taylor Rogers
Miguel Sulbaran, LHP
2014 Age: 20
2013 High Level: Cedar Rapids, 20 IP (Single-A)
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | GS | IP | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 17 | Dodgers | DOSL | FRk | LAD | 2.81 | 13 | 11 | 57.2 | 0.954 | 5.8 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 8.1 |
| 2012 | 18 | Ogden | PION | Rk | LAD | 5.40 | 1 | 1 | 5.0 | 1.200 | 9.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 7.2 |
| 2012 | 18 | Dodgers | ARIZ | Rk | LAD | 2.51 | 11 | 11 | 57.1 | 1.151 | 8.9 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 9.7 |
| 2012 | 18 | Great Lakes | MIDW | A | LAD | 15.00 | 2 | 2 | 6.0 | 2.833 | 19.5 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 4.5 |
| 2013 | 19 | Great Lakes | MIDW | A | LAD | 3.01 | 23 | 16 | 92.2 | 1.252 | 8.6 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 8.3 |
| 2013 | 19 | Cedar Rapids | MIDW | A | MIN | 2.70 | 4 | 4 | 20.0 | 1.300 | 9.4 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 7.2 |
| 3 Seasons | 3.17 | 54 | 45 | 238.2 | 1.198 | 8.4 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 8.4 | |||||
Yep. This is the guy the Twins landed for Drew Butera. His strong command has helped him to this point, but as he rises through the system the strikeout rates will drop and, at that point, he should be moved to a bullpen role. Scouts seem to like his breaking balls already, so the added velocity on the fastball in short bursts could help him maintain his stock as a prospect down the line.
D.J. Baxendale, RHP
2014 Age: 23
2013 High Level: New Britain, 92.2 IP (Double-A)
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | G | GS | IP | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 21 | Elizabethton | Rk | 0.00 | 6 | 0 | 7.2 | 0.261 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 18.8 |
| 2012 | 21 | Beloit | A | 1.64 | 11 | 0 | 11.0 | 1.182 | 9.8 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 12.3 |
| 2013 | 22 | Fort Myers | A+ | 1.10 | 9 | 9 | 57.1 | 0.785 | 5.3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 7.5 |
| 2013 | 22 | New Britain | AA | 5.63 | 16 | 16 | 92.2 | 1.424 | 10.7 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 6.2 |
| 2 Seasons | 3.58 | 42 | 25 | 168.2 | 1.138 | 8.4 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 7.6 | |||
The Twins had Baxendale on the fast track through his first two seasons in the system, which is exactly what you love to see from a collegiate pick. He struggled a bit in Double-A in 2013 though, so he's likely to start there again this season - particularly in light of the number of pitchers in the upper levels of the system. He seems to be the second-best pitcher from the 2012 draft, behind Berrios, meaning that - compared to our prospect list last season - he's leapfrogged fellow draft mates J.T. Chargois (#12), Mason Melotakis (#16), and Luke Bard (#17).
Amaurys Minier, 3B
2014 Age: 18
2013 High Level: GCL Twins, 119 PA (Rookie)
Minier was the big international signing for the Twins in 2012, signing in July and finally making his organizational debut in 2013. At just 17 years old you might expect him to struggle, and he did - a little. But he also crushed six home runs and is considered a high-upside prospect with great power from both sides of the plate. He's already shifted from short to third, so that's out of the way, and in spite of his immense talent we'll be seeing him in the Rookie leagues for another year or probably two before we really start to get an idea of how good he might be.
Stuart Turner, C
2014 Age: 22
2013 High Level: New Britain, 4 PA (Double-A)
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | G | PA | H | 2B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | Elizabethton | Rk | 34 | 142 | 32 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 22 | .264 | .340 | .380 |
| 2013 | 21 | New Britain | AA | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
Generated 2/13/2014.
Turner is undoubtedly the organization's best catching prospect going forward, since Pinto is graduating the list this season. He carries accolades for both his bat and his skills as a backstop. He seems a good bet to be given time over a full season this year, instead of a short season, so we'll get to see him over an extended period and we'll see how ready he is. Can he develop quickly? How much room does he have to grow? There's upside, but a lot of unanswered questions, too.
Taylor Rogers, LHP
2014 Age: 23
2013 High Level: Fort Myers, 130.2 (Advanced-A)
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | G | GS | IP | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 21 | Elizabethton | Rk | 1.80 | 6 | 6 | 30.0 | 0.833 | 6.0 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 11.7 |
| 2012 | 21 | Beloit | A | 2.70 | 9 | 4 | 33.1 | 1.350 | 8.9 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 9.4 |
| 2013 | 22 | Cedar Rapids | A | 7.20 | 3 | 3 | 10.0 | 1.800 | 12.6 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 9.0 |
| 2013 | 22 | Fort Myers | A+ | 2.55 | 22 | 21 | 130.2 | 1.156 | 8.2 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 5.7 |
| 2 Seasons | 2.69 | 40 | 34 | 204.0 | 1.172 | 8.2 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 7.4 | |||
Rogers was, as our own Roger notes, one of the better pitchers in the Twins' minor league system last year. He doesn't strike anyone out, but the command is decent and he does a good job of limiting base runners. He was an 11th-round pick in 2012 so you'd like to hope he can move quickly, but some of that will depend on how well he adapts to tougher competition. Can he continue to be successful even if he posts pedestrian strikeout rates?