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Minnesota Twins 2014 Prospect Vote: Round 24

Giddyup.

By Jesse Lund
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Congratulations to Stuart Turner who, with 35% of the vote, topped the other three candidates on the ballot for prospect number 24 this season! We're adding a trio of players to the ballot, but I've changed my mind about one thing: I may still add a prospect in every round through the end of the voting process. In other words, a few prospects being voted on may not make our Top 30.

Here we go!

Twinkie Town Top 24 Prospects for 2014

  1. Byron Buxton, CF
  2. Miguel Sano, 3B
  3. Alex Meyer, RHP
  4. Eddie Rosario, 2B/OF
  5. Kohl Stewart, RHP
  6. Josmil Pinto, C
  7. Jose Berrios, RHP
  8. Jorge Polanco, 2B/SS
  9. Max Kepler, CF
  10. Lewis Thorpe, LHP
  11. Trevor May, RHP
  12. Adam Brett Walker, RF
  13. Felix Jorge, RHP
  14. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP
  15. Michael Tonkin, RHP
  16. Travis Harrison, 3B
  17. Danny Santana, SS
  18. Kennys Vargas, 1B
  19. Ryan Eades, RHP
  20. Zack Jones, RHP
  21. Fernando Romero, RHP
  22. Sean Gilmartin, LHP
  23. Miguel Sulbaran, LHP
  24. Stuart Turner, C

Players up in Round 24: D.J. Baxendale, Amaurys Minier, Taylor Rogers, Mason Melotakis, Niko Goodrum, Adrian Salcedo

D.J. Baxendale, RHP
2014 Age: 23
2013 High Level: New Britain, 92.2 IP (Double-A)

Year Age Tm Lev ERA G GS IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9
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
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/13/2014.

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)

Year Age Lg Lev PA H 2B 3B HR BB SO BA OBP SLG
2013 17 GULF Rk 119 24 5 2 6 6 29 .214 .252 .455
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/22/2014.

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.

Taylor Rogers, LHP
2014 Age: 23
2013 High Level: Fort Myers, 130.2 (Advanced-A)

Year Age Tm Lev ERA G GS IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9
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
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/13/2014.

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?

Mason Melotakis, LHP
2014 Age: 23
2013 High Level: Cedar Rapids, 111 IP (Single-A)


Year Age Tm Lev ERA G GS IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2012 21 Elizabethton Rk 1.35 7 0 6.2 0.600 2.7 0.0 2.7 13.5 5.00
2012 21 Beloit A 2.08 13 0 17.1 1.096 7.8 1.6 2.1 12.5 6.00
2013 22 Cedar Rapids A 3.16 24 18 111.0 1.306 8.6 0.5 3.2 6.8 2.15
2 Seasons 2.93 44 18 135.0 1.244 8.2 0.6 3.0 7.9 2.62
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/4/2014.


Melotakis was rated higher last season (#16), but after being thrust into a starter's role for much of 2013 it's not a surprise that his rate stats took a dip. So it's not that he had a bad season, but that quite a few prospects took a step forward. Melotakis is just 23 this season and should step up to Fort Myers, and if he continues to be an effective pitcher he could be pushed to Double-A by the end of the season. And of course he's a lefty, which helps, even if he doesn't have a great ceiling.

Niko Goodrum, SS
2014 Age: 22
2013 High Level: Cedar Rapids, 455 PA (Single-A)

Year Age Tm Lev PA H 2B HR SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG
2010 18 Twins Rk 128 19 4 0 4 2 9 34 .161 .219 .195
2011 19 Elizabethton Rk 230 56 10 2 8 1 21 56 .275 .352 .382
2012 20 Elizabethton Rk 269 55 12 4 6 3 38 56 .242 .349 .419
2013 21 Cedar Rapids A 455 100 22 4 20 4 60 105 .260 .364 .369
4 Seasons 1082 230 48 10 38 10 128 251 .246 .340 .362
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/4/2014.


After three seasons stuck in Rookie ball, Goodrum finally escaped last season and displayed the solid all-around skills that scouts have been hoping for. He continues to have a few issues at the high-responsibility position and he'll never develop any real power, but he's capable of being a decent contact hitter with good strike zone judgment and on-base skills, and he knows how to use his speed both in the field and on the bases. Can he make the most of a couple of plus tools? Or will he continue to toil away in the minors and hope for a bench or fringe role three or four years down the road?

Adrian Salcedo, RHP
2014 Age: 23
2013 High Level: Fort Myers, 58.1 IP (Advanced-A)

Year Age Lev ERA G GS GF IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9
2008 17 FRk 1.65 12 12 0 65.1 0.842 6.5 0.1 1.1 6.9
2009 18 Rk 1.46 11 10 1 61.2 1.022 8.8 0.1 0.4 8.5
2010 19 Rk 3.27 16 8 3 66.0 0.985 7.5 0.4 1.4 8.9
2010 19 A+ 6.26 6 6 0 27.1 1.829 13.8 1.0 2.6 5.3
2011 20 A 2.93 29 20 4 135.0 1.170 8.7 0.3 1.8 6.1
2012 21 Rk 3.38 3 2 0 5.1 1.500 11.8 0.0 1.7 6.8
2012 21 A+ 6.39 8 7 0 25.1 1.895 11.7 0.4 5.3 5.0
2013 22 A+ 3.70 34 0 19 58.1 1.166 8.2 0.9 2.3 8.3
6 Seasons 3.10 119 65 27 444.1 1.159 8.7 0.4 1.8 7.2
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/4/2014.


Salcedo has been off of our list for the last couple years after making appearances earlier in his history with the organization. It's been a slow move through the ranks so far, but with his move to the bullpen his rate stats have improved and, with them, the front-line stats like ERA and WHIP. It's helped him to be a more efficient and effective pitcher, and as a result we see him on our list towards the end of our voting. He's a borderline Top 30 guy, so where he lands is up to you.

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