All precincts have finally reported and Gilberto Celestino won the 11th spot on our list. He profiles as a true CF and we should get to see him in spring training soon.

Twinkie Town 2020 Prospect Voting Results

1. Alex Kirilloff 40% (Lewis 28%, Graterol 24%, Larnach 8%)
2. Royce Lewis 48% (Graterol 29%, Balazovic 12%, Larnach 12%)
3. Trevor Larnach 48% (Balazovic 43%, Duran 8%, Cavaco 1%)
4. Jordan Balazovic 78% (Duran 11%, Rooker 9%, Jeffers 2%, Cavaco 0%)
5. Jhoan Duran 52% (Rooker 19%, Thorpe 16%, Jeffers 10%, Cavaco 3%)
6. Brent Rooker 37% (Jeffers 28%, Thorpe 24%, Urbina 6%, Cavaco 5%)
7. Ryan Jeffers 47% (Thorpe 34%, Cavaco 10%, Celestino 5%, Urbina 3%)
8. Lewis Thorpe 58% (Urbina 12%, Canterino 11%, Cavaco 10%, Celestino 9%)
9. Matt Canterino 27% (Celestino 23%, Cavaco 22%, Urbina 19%, Wallner 9%)
10. Keoni Cavaco 33% (Celestino 29%, Urbina 18%, Sands 15%, Wallner 9%)
11. Gilberto Celestino 36% (Gordon 26%, Urbina 19%, Wallner 12%, Sands 7%)

For this round I am adding a pitcher who was drafted in 2017.

Misael Urbina, CF

2020 Age: 18

2019 High Level: DSL Twins (Foreign Rookie)

Misael “Misa” Urbina was the top international free agent signed by the Twins in 2018 costing them a $2.75M bonus with an additional $300k for college. He ranked #5 among international free agents who were available in the 2018 signing period. He came to the Twins from Venezuela where he had been participating in the Venezuelan Winter League development program for young players. He played his first summer in the system in the Dominican rookie league and did very well hitting .279/.382/.443 with more walks than strikeouts. He has plus speed and scouts rated his center field defense as among the best in the league. He should make his way to the United States this summer to play in a rookie league but his Twins debut is unlikely before 2023.

Matt Wallner, RF

2020 Age: 22

2019 High Level: Cedar Rapids (A)

The Twins drafted Matt Wallner 39th overall in the 2019 MLB draft out of Southern Mississippi. They had previously drafted him in the 32nd round out of Forest Lake High School (Go Rangers!) after being named the East Metro player of the year and Mr Baseball but he made the easy choice to go to college instead. He had been committed to North Dakota to play college baseball but that school dropped their baseball program in April of his senior year and Wallner changed his destination to Hattiesburg, MS. Despite the late change things worked out well as Wallner became one of the best players in Southern Miss history. He was named Conference USA freshman of the year splitting his time between RF and P. His sophomore year he was named an All-American and although he dropped pitching his junior year he kept piling up awards and became the highest draft pick in the history of Southern Miss. He hit .337/.461/.652 with 58 HR in 189 games over his college career. The Twins started Wallner at Elizabethton and he hit .269/.361/.452 in 53 games before a late promotion to Cedar Rapids where he hit .205/.340/.455 in 12 games. His best asset is his power left handed bat and as a former pitcher his arm in RF is a plus. Brian Dozier was the last Twin picked from Southern Mississippi. We can all hope this local kid has that level of career for the Twins.

Cole Sands, P

2020 Age: 22

2019 High Level: Pensacola (AA)

Cole Sands was drafted in the 5th round of the 2018 MLB draft out of Florida State. He battled with injuries his junior season but the Twins decided his talent was worth an over-slot $600,000 bonus to make sure he didn’t return for his senior season. Sands did not pitch his first summer in the organization as he recovered from the injuries he was dealing with during his college season. The Twins began his 2019 season in Cedar Rapids where he had a 10.7 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and 3.05 RA9 in 8 starts. He earned a mid-season promotion to Fort Myers where he kept up the good work compiling a 9.2 K/9, 1.2 BB/9 and 2.77 RA9 in 52 innings at that level. This earned him a late call-up to Pensacola for one start in Double-A. Despite three trips to the injured list he was able to pitch 97 innings. He throws a mid-90s fastball with movement, a plus breaking ball and a good changeup. The results have been there but keeping him healthy and on the mound has been challenging. Expect to see him start 2020 in Double-A with a possible 2021 Twins debut.

Nick Gordon, SS

2020 Age: 24

2019 High Level: Rochester (AAA)

The 2014 first round selection (5th overall) has taken longer than hoped for to develop but is still too young to give up on. In 2018 he took a big step forward hitting .333/.381/.525 in 42 games proving that Double-A was no longer a challenge. Unfortunately he struggled at Triple-A Rochester after the promotion hitting just .212/.262/.283 in 99 games. The Twins sent him back to Rochester to start 2019 and his hitting improved to a .298/.342/.459 batting line but he only managed 70 games due to three different stints on the injured list. Nick was added to the 40 man roster last off season and probably would have made his MLB debut if he hadn’t been injured when they called up Luis Arraez. Defensively he split time between second base and shortstop as the Twins try to get him ready for a call-up in case of an injury to any middle infielder. He still looks like he will become a major league player in the middle infield but there are some doubts he progresses past a utility role. Look for him to go back to Rochester to start 2020 but ready to make his debut if the Twins need to place an infielder on the injured list.

Blayne Enlow, P

2020 Age: 21

2019 High Level: Fort Myers (A+)

Blayne “Sweet” Enlow was picked in the 3rd round of the 2017 MLB draft out of high school but was signed for an overslot $2M bonus similar to the level of a low first round pick. The scouts used the word “projectable” often when describing Enlow which usually means the kid has a big frame (Enlow is 6’4”) and they assume he will put on enough muscle to make it as a starting pitcher (was 170 lbs, now 224 lbs). Scouts also loved Enlow’s curve ball which was rated as one of the best in the draft. Enlow was sent to the Gulf Coast Twins after signing and he had a good summer posting an 8.4 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and 1.77 Run Average in six games. In 2018 he skipped over Betsy and spent the year with Cedar Rapids pitching 94 innings with a 3.83 Run Average, 6.8 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9. He was 3 years younger than average for the level and battled through an ankle sprain and sore back in his first full professional season but still held his own. Enlow began the 2019 season in single-A Cedar Rapids but only pitched 8 games there before being moved to Fort Myers. The promotion was a little unexpected given his production in Cedar Rapids (5.23 RA9) but he justified the move by doing fairly well at Fort Myers (4.02 RA9, 6.6 K/9, 3.0 BB/9). He has built enough stamina to maintain his fastball velocity in the low 90s, touching 94 MPH when needed. He added a sharp slider to his slower breaking ball and is working on his changeup. Expect to see him back in Fort Myers to start 2020 as he works on finding ways to get more batters to swing-and-miss.