Marco Raya squeaked out a narrow victory in round 29. Raya will be among many players on this list to make his minor league debut this summer.

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%)
27. Wander Javier 33% (De Andrade 26%, Rijo 23%, Raya 9%, Holland 9%)
28. Danny De Andrade 38% (Rijo 19%, Julien 18%, Raya 14%, Holland 12%)
29. Marco Raya 28% (Rijo 26%, Julien 22%, Holland 14%, Gray 10%)

This round I’m adding a pitcher who is on the 40 man roster and could make his major league debut some time 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.

Edouard Julien, LF

2021 Age: 22

2019 High Level: NCAA

Edouard Julien grew up in Quebec City, Canada and participated on Canadian Junior National teams as a teenager. He was a 37th round pick of the Phillies in the 2017 draft but matriculated to Auburn University instead of signing. As a freshman DH he hit hit .275 with 17 home runs and 69 RBI (breaking the Auburn freshman record set by Frank Thomas) and was named a freshman All-American by several publications. His sophomore year he became the starter at third base and led the team in HR and RBI a second consecutive year. He was drafted by the Twins in the 18th round of the 2019 draft but his stock continued to rise after draft day with strong performances in the College World Series as well as a .348/.423/.565 batting line in the wood bat Cape Cod League. The Twins ultimately coughed up a $493,000 bonus to get him to sign before the signing period closed. He was named to the Canadian team for the 2019 Pan Am games, one of only 3 college players on the team. Unfortunately he injured his elbow in Peru at the Pan Am games which led to ligament replacement surgery before he could make his minor league debut. Julien has played 2B and 3B but several scouts believe a move to the outfield is likely which is why I listed him at LF. He is a switch hitter who hits for power from both sides of the plate. He is also a native French speaker which makes him unique among Twins prospects. Expect to see him debut at Fort Myers this spring with a goal of a mid-year promotion to Cedar Rapids.

Seth Gray, 3B

2021 Age: 23

2019 High Level: Cedar Rapids (A)

Seth Gray played his high school baseball in Springfield, OH and his college baseball in Dayton, OH for the Wright State Raiders. His bat was terrific his junior season (.630 SLG) which led to being named to the ABCA Mideast All-Region team. The Twins selected him in the 4th round of the 2019 draft (between Steer and Holland) and sent him to Elizabethton. He hit .225/.336/.445 with 11 HR which earned him a late promotion to Cedar Rapids for 4 games. The scouts like his fielding at third base and his ability to hit the ball over the fence. Expect him to start 2021 at Class-A Fort Myers with a goal of a promotion to high-A Cedar Rapids.

Dakota Chalmers, P

2021 Age: 24

2019 High Level: Fort Myers (A+)

Dakota Chalmers was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2015 draft by the Oakland Athletics and signed a seven figure contract to keep him from going to college. He gradually made his way from rookie ball to single-A over the next couple summers. In 2017 while pitching for Beloit he struck out 47 batters in 29 innings but also walked 29. In 2018 he was sent back to Beloit to work on his command and pitched one game before requiring ligament replacement surgery. That August, while still recovering from his injury, he was traded to the Twins in return for Fernando Rodney. He made it to Fort Myers in 2019 and he once again struck out a ton (12.2K/9) and walked a ton (6.3 BB/9) of batters. The Twins sent him to the Arizona Fall League and the trend continued. The scouting report likes Chalmers’ mid-90s fastball, plus curveball and deceptive changeup but dislikes his below-average command and his effectiveness against lefties. He has been a starter in the minors but his MLB future is as a reliever. Wes Johnson pointed out some mechanical changes that could increase his fastball velocity into the upper 90s but it won’t matter unless he can figure out how to stop walking the ballpark. Chalmers was added to the 40 man roster before the 2020 season and is slated to pitch in Double-A this summer.