Spencer Steer is our winner in round 26. He could end up back in Cedar Rapids again this summer at some point.

Twinkie Town 2021 Prospect Voting Results

1. Alex Kirilloff 68% (Lewis 19%, Balazovic 9%, Larnach 5%)
2. Royce Lewis 65% (Larnach 17%, Balazovic 16%, Duran 2%)
3. Trevor Larnach 37% (Balazovic 37%, Jeffers 21%, Duran 5%)
4. Jordan Balazovic 73% (Jeffers 18%, Duran 7%, Sabato 3%)
5. Ryan Jeffers 45% (Duran 43%, Sabato 6%, Canterino 6%)
6. Jhoan Duran 79% (Canterino 9%, Sabato 5%, Celestino 4%, Cavaco 2%)
7. Brent Rooker 47% (Canterino 26%, Sabato 15%, Celestino 8%, Cavaco 4%)
8. Matt Canterino 39% (Sabato 32%, Celestino 15%, Enlow 12%, Cavaco 2%)
9. Aaron Sabato 43% (Enlow 21%, Celestino 21%, Cavaco 10%, Urbina 6%)
10. Gilberto Celestino 36% (Enlow 33%, Cavaco 17%, Urbina 8%, Wallner 6%)
11. Blayne Enlow 41% (Winder 20%, Cavaco 19%, Urbina 15%, Wallner 5%)
12. Keoni Cavaco 29% (Winder 25%, Urbina 20%, Sands 14%, Wallner 11%)
13. Josh Winder 33% (Urbina 28%, Sands 19%, Wallner 13%, Miranda 7%)
14. Misael Urbina 42% (Colina 28%, Sands 17%, Wallner 12%, Miranda 1%)
15. Edwar Colina 35% (Sands 35%, Wallner 20%, Rodriguez 7%, Miranda 3%)
16. Cole Sands 47% (Wallner 27%, Vallimont 11%, Rodriguez 8%, Miranda 7%)
17. Matt Wallner 47% (Vallimont 20%, Rortvedt 15%, Rodriguez 11%, Miranda 6%)
18. Ben Rortvedt 32% (Vallimont 26%, Miranda 17%, Rodriguez 14%, Soularie 10%)
19. Travis Blankenhorn 29% (Vallimont 25%, Rodriguez 18%, Soularie 15%, Miranda 13%)
20. Bailey Ober 32% (Vallimont 28%, Rodriguez 16%, Miranda 13%, Soularie 11%)
21. Chris Vallimont 46% (Miranda 19%, Rodriguez 16%, Soularie 14%, De Andrade 4%)
22. Jose Miranda 40% (Soularie 27%, Rodriguez 19%, De Andrade 9%, Raya 5%)
23. Nick Gordon 38% (Rodriguez 30%, Soularie 21%, De Andrade 6%, Raya 5%)
24. Alerick Soularie 40% (Rodriguez 39%, De Andrade 9%, Holland 7%, Raya 6%)
25. Emmanuel Rodriguez 48% (Steer 32%, De Andrade 9%, Holland 6%, Raya 6%)
26. Spencer Steer 37% (De Andrade 25%, Rijo 16%, Raya 12%, Holland 11%)

There are still a few infielders left to pick from. Since we elected an infielder I will add one. This infielder was given a large bonus as an international free agent but has seen his career derailed by injuries.

Danny De Andrade, SS

2021 Age: 16

2020 High Level: N/A

The international signing period opened recently and the Twins immediately closed a $2.2 million deal with Venezuelan shortstop Danny De Andrade. The 6 foot 160 lb infielder ranked 16th on MLB’s list of all international free agents in this signing period. The scouts like his bat speed and ability to drive the ball to all fields. They believe he can develop power and also think he can stick on the left side of the infield. De Andrade was training in the Dominican Republic because American scouts cannot go to Venezuela to evaluate players. Like all international free agent teenagers he is a long ways away from the major leagues. Expect him to get his first at-bats as a professional in the Dominican rookie league.

Marco Raya, P

2021 Age: 18

2020 High Level: N/A

The Twins selected Marco Raya with the 128th pick in the 2020 draft from United South High School in Laredo, TX. The Twins gave him a $410,000 signing bonus to get him to break his commitment to Texas Tech. He has four pitches including a fastball in the lower 90s with a lot of spin. At 6’0”, 170 lbs he’s not as big as most pitching prospects but is considered a good athlete and has shown repeatable mechanics. He was a young senior, only 17 years old at the time of the draft. Expect Raya to spend a lot of time at extended spring training with a debut for the Gulf Coast Twins this summer.

Will Holland, SS

2021 Age: 23

2019 High Level: Elizabethton (Rookie)

Will Holland played his college baseball at Auburn University. He was ranked as a preseason top 20 college talent after a promising sophomore year which included playing for the USA Baseball Collegiate National team. Despite a trip to the College World Series his 2019 junior year was ultimately disappointing as he slashed just .246/.376/.401 and dropped to the fifth round of the draft. The Twins signed him for an above-slot $575,000 bonus and sent him to Elizabethton. At Elizabethton he hit .192/.299/.376 in 146 plate appearances which continued his disappointing 2019 at the plate. The reports from 2020 instructionals were more positive with him looking more comfortable at the plate. Holland has good hands and defensive range at SS. On offense he has good power, a good eye and plus speed with 20HR/20SB potential but he needs to work on making consistent contact. Expect him to start this season at Class-A Fort Myers. If he can get the bat on the ball he could move quickly through the minors.

Luis Rijo, P

2021 Age: 22

2019 High Level: Cedar Rapids (A)

The Yankees signed Luis Rijo in 2015 as a minor league free agent from Venezuela. He pitched a season in the Dominican rookie league before making his stateside debut in 2017. He impressed with his command, walking few batters, and showed a good curveball but his fastball was barely touching 90 MPH. In 2018 he bounced around several levels of the minors before being traded to the Twins in exchange for Lance Lynn. The Twins sent him to Elizabethton to finish the season and he put up solid numbers there (7.2 K/9 1.7 BB/9, 3.38 RA) to finish the season. He started 2019 at Cedar Rapids and had another solid performance (8.3 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, 3.87 RA, 107 IP) including a 10 strikeout game on July 4th. His 4-seam fastball can touch 93 MPH now but rates as pretty average. He has a plus curveball and developing changeup he can pair with the fastball but his best asset is plus control, throwing all of his pitches for strikes. He should start 2021 promoted a level (yet back in Cedar Rapids) and is unlikely to make a Twins debut before 2022.

Wander Javier, SS

2021 Age: 22

2019 High Level: Cedar Rapids (A)

The Twins signed Wander Javier as an international free agent in the summer of 2015. He was ranked by Baseball America as the #9 international prospect and #8 by MLB.com. The Twins gave him a $4M signing bonus which was their entire 2015 international free agent budget. He hit .299/.383/.471 at Elizabethton in 2017 and was named the #2 prospect in the Appalachian League. Scouts loved his right handed power and ability to play shortstop. He was set to debut at Cedar Rapids spring of 2018 but suffered an torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. He had shoulder surgery and missed the entire 2018 season. He debuted at Cedar Rapids a year later and it was a long, difficult summer for Javier. He struggled at the plate hitting just .177/.278/.323 in 80 games and was forced to deal with other injuries. In 2020 he missed even more development time due to the pandemic cancelling the minor league season. The tools are still there but he needs playing time. A strong season at the plate would help him regain his prospect status.