Jhoan Duran is our selection in a close round six vote. We are wishing him a healthy season and hoping for a 2022 major league debut for Duran.

1. Royce Lewis 40% (Martin 37%, Balazovic 23%)
2. Austin Martin 65% (Balazovic 25%, Duran 7%, Woods-Richardson 2%)
3. Joe Ryan 43% (Balazovic 27%, Miranda 24%, Duran 4%, Woods-Richardson 2%)
4. Jordan Balazovic 48% (Miranda 45%, Duran 4%, Woods-Richardson 2%, Celestino 1%)
5. Jose Miranda 68% (Woods-Richardson 12%, Duran 10%, Winder 9%, Celestino 2%)
6. Jhoan Duran 32% (Winder 24%, Woods-Richardson 20%, Canterino 20%, Celestino 4%)

We have another pitching prospect to add in round seven. This new prospect was a recent high draft pick.

Simeon Woods-Richardson, P

2022 Age: 21

2021 High Level: Wichita (AA)

Simeon Woods-Richardson began his professional career in the Mets organization after they made him their second round pick in 2018. He went from high school in Sugar Land, TX to rookie ball that summer in the Gulf Coast League and dominated in 5 games at that level. That earned him a promotion to the Appalachian League team for his final 2 starts of the summer and his final line was a 13.5 K/9 and 6.5 K/BB. The Mets promoted him to single-A Columbia and he continued to impress with a 11.1 K/9 and 5.7 K/BB in 78.1 innings. His time at Columbia was interrupted when he was traded to the Blue Jays as part of the Mets deal for Marcus Stroman. The Blue Jays promoted him to high-A Dunedin and Woods-Richardson finished the year strong at that level. He was named to several top 100 prospect lists after the 2019 season and once again after COVID-19 interrupted the 2020 minor league season. He began the 2021 season with another promotion to Double-A New Hampshire but had mixed results. He was still striking players out (13.3 K/9) but his walk rate spiked (5.7 BB/9) as his control suffered from the time off. He was named to the Team USA roster for the Olympics and while in Tokyo was traded to the Twins as part of the package for Jose Berrios. After winning an Olympic silver medal he joined the Twins organization in Wichita. He continued to struggle with walks but it is important to realize that at age 20 he was pitching in Double-A while many players his age were still undrafted amateurs. Expect him to begin the 2021 season back at Double-A to work on his control. If he is able to get back to his previous form he could be a mainstay in the Twins rotation as soon as 2023.

Gilberto Celestino, CF

2022 Age: 23

2021 High Level: Twins (MLB)

Gilberto Celestino was signed as an international free agent by the Houston Astros for a $2.5M bonus in 2015. He ranked as the #7 international prospect that signing period. As an outfielder who throws left and bats right, a combination that worked mainly for Rickey Henderson, he is a rarity. He runs fast and throws hard which has helped him build an excellent reputation as an outfielder. After hitting .268/.331/.379 as an 18 year old in the Appalachian League the Astros promoted him to the New York - Penn league in 2018. He hit .323/.387/.480 for the Tri-City Valley Cats. Celestino was acquired along with Jorge Alcala in 2018 in return for reliever Ryan Pressly. After he was acquired by the Twins he was sent back to the Appalachian League to play with the Elizabethton Twins instead of assigning him to Cedar Rapids. He finished the 2018 season hitting .266/.308/.349 which was a downgrade from his past performance in the same league. He debuted in 2019 at Cedar Rapids and hit .276/.350/.409 with lots of doubles and excellent defense. He earned a late season promotion to Fort Myers and hit .300/.333/.433 in 33 PA at that level. He was added to the 40 man roster to ensure he wasn’t picked in the 2019 draft. He used an option in 2020 working out in St. Paul. In 2021 he started the season in Wichita hitting .250/.344/.381 in 21 games before a Byron Buxton injury necessitated his big league debut. He has tremendous tools and rated as an average MLB defender in centerfield but struggled at the plate hitting just .136 as a Twin. Celestino was demoted to Triple-A St. Paul and adjusted well to that level hitting .290/.384/.443 in 49 games to end the season. Look for him to get more development time at Triple-A with another call-up likely in 2022.

Josh Winder, P

2022 Age: 25

2021 High Level: St. Paul (AAA)

Josh Winder was selected in the 7th round of the 2018 MLB draft from Virginia Military Institute. He left after his junior season with the highest strikeout rate in school history and placed second on their list of career strikeouts. He spent his first summer as a Twin in Elizabethton and pitched well (9.8 K/9, 1.4 BB/9, 3.96 RA). In 2019 he pitched for the Cedar Rapids Kernels and had a very productive season (8.5 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, 3.08 RA in 125-2/3 IP). He was named a Midwest League All-Star (along with Chris Vallimont) and led the league in ERA. He throws at least four pitches (fastball, curveball, changeup and slider) and he throws them for strikes. At 6’5” and 210 lbs he has the build scouts like in a starting pitcher and still has potential to add muscle. In 2020, working out mainly on his own, he was able to increase his fastball velocity to 97 MPH. He also impressed scouts at the fall instructional workouts. He skipped over high A-ball and started 2021 at Double-A Wichita where he was very impressive (10.7 K/9, 1.6 BB/9, 1.98 RA9) in 10 starts. This led to a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul in June and a spot on the MLB Futures Game roster. A right shoulder injury ended his season in July, ending a trajectory that probably would have led to a big league callup. The Twins added to him the 40 man roster and he will be fighting for a spot on the team this spring.

Matt Canterino, P

2022 Age: 24

2021 High Level: Cedar Rapids (A+)

The Twins drafted Matt Canterino in the second round of the 2019 MLB draft. He spent three seasons at Rice University and led the team in strikeouts all three seasons. The right-handed pitcher was named Conference USA pitcher of the year in 2019. He has a four pitch mix (fastball, curve, slider, change) and his strikeout pitch is his slider but he is best known for having great control. As a mechanical engineering major who was all-academic in his conference he is known to think a bit about his pitching. He made his professional debut in 2019 for the Gulf Coast Twins rookie team but was promoted after just 5 innings. In 20 innings at Cedar Rapids he had a 2.25 RA9, 11.3 K/9 and 0.65 WHIP. Canterino spent most of 2020 working out on his own but he did report to the alternate training site in St. Paul at the end of the summer. When he arrived he impressed with an improved changeup and consistent 94 MPH velocity on his fastball. He pitched in 2021 at (now) high-A Cedar Rapids and dominated in four starts. Unfortunately he suffered an elbow injury in May. After a single 3-inning comeback start he was shut down in August. He will be looking to build up his innings totals this season, most likely at Double-A Wichita.

Chase Petty, P

2022 Age: 19

2021 High Level: Florida Complex Twins (Rookie)

Chase Petty was the Twins first round draft pick in 2021. He pitched in high school in New Jersey and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for that state. He was committed to play for the University of Florida but the Twins signed him for a $2.5M bonus to become a professional instead. Petty throws a heater that sits in the upper 90s and can touch 100 MPH. He also throws an 87 MPH slider with good spin and is working on a changeup. In 2021 he pitched 5 innings in rookie ball with 6 strikeouts against 6 hits and 1 walk. Expect to see him pitch for Fort Myers in 2022.