Tuesday, June 2,
2009
SethSpeaks.net Top
50
Minnesota Twins
Prospects
Part 1: Prospects
36-50
It is that time again. With
Major League Baseball’s June Draft set to take place next week, I am updating
my Top 50 Twins Prospects list. I like to do this before the June draft because
we have nearly two more months of data to consider, but also so that the Twins
draft choices to not sneak into this list. I will discuss some of their
selections next week, but this allows me to highlight several more players who
deserve to be recognized as well. Everyone believes that their personal
prospect list is the best. I try my best to be accurate and fair in these
rankings. However, Prospect Ranking may be one of the most inexact sciences
around. Think about it. Mark Prior
was supposed to be great, and injuries derailed what could have been. Baseball
America ranked Nick Blackburn
#1 before the 2008 season, and most with and around the Twins chuckled. I think
we are all happy that John Manuel
looks like a genius on that one. Another purpose for making this list, for me,
is simply to recognize players in the Twins system that deserve to be known. As
I type that, I realize there are another 150 or so Twins minor leaguers that
also deserve to be recognized, but I think I might lose some of you if I ran a
Top 180 Twins prospect list. (That’s the purpose of the Minnesota
Twins Prospect Handbook anyway, right?) These guys are all working hard
to reach the ultimate goal of playing in the big leagues.
That said, lists are fun.
Rankings are a blast. They create discussion and that is the best part about
being a blogger. So, please let me know what you think. In the next days, I
will continue to work my way up the Twins prospect list until finally giving
you my selections for the Top 10 Twins prospects. I hope you enjoy this and
again, please feel
free to comment.
#50 – Spencer Steedley – LHP – 24 (5/31/85)
2009 Teams: Ft. Myers Miracle
Acquired: Twins 25th round pick in 2007 out of UNC-Charlotte
You may have noticed in previous Top 50 lists that I like to save
the 50th spot for a relief pitcher. I typically don’t rank relievers
real highly, but they are so important as we have learned with the Twins the
last season and a half. Who should I have picked? Joe Testa
deserves to be recognized. He’s been incredible with the Snappers. So has Matt
Williams. Steedley’s Miracle bullpen mate Blair
Erickson has also been very good. You will see a couple of relievers as we move
up the top 50, but there is no question that Spencer Steedley
deserves to be recognized. After being drafted in 2007, he went to Elizabethton
and struck out 51 in 37 innings. At Beloit last year, he struck out 59 in 46.1
innings. This year with the Miracle, he is currently 3-0 with a 0.78 ERA and a
0.91 WHIP. He has 24 strikeouts in 23 innings pitched. I would think he would
move up to New Britain as soon as the Miracle clinch the first half division
title.
2009 Projection: Bullpen in Ft. Myers, but should be in New Britain soon
Potential: LOOGY
Could be in Minnesota in: 2011
#49 – Rene Leveret – 1B – 23 (11/19/85)
2009 Teams: Ft. Myers Miracle
Acquired: Signed with Twins in August, 2003, out of St. Maarten
MiLB.com lists him at 6-2, 224. The Baseball Cube lists him at
6-1, 263. I think I know which one I believe. But regardless, Leveret has hit
at every level he has played. There is some question about his conditioning and
work ethic, but now he is 23 and you only hope he starts taking it more
seriously. Although he has already missed some time this season with injury,
Leveret is hitting .358/.465/.495 with the Ft. Myers Miracle. He has seven
doubles and two home runs, and clearly, it would be great to see those home run
totals increase. He is a middle of the order type of bat. He has progressed
quite slowly through the system, but he does have the ability to hit, so there
is a chance.
2009 Projection: Spend the full season in the middle of the Miracle lineup
Potential: Right Handed DH/PH
Could be in Minnesota in: 2012
#48 – Nick Romero – IF – 21 (7/15/87)
2009 Teams: Beloit Snappers, Ft. Myers Miracle
Acquired: Twins 5th round pick in 2008 out of San Diego State
Romero must be able to hit, right? I mean, he did play for Tony
Gwynn at San Diego State! Romero was
recently promoted to Ft. Myers after just 31 games at Beloit, and despite
hitting just .222 in that time. But he is mature enough and has the skill to be
able to succeed with such a move. In his first game with the Miracle, he has
the game winning, walk off single. A day later, he hit a home run. Of course, a
couple games later, he had four errors in one game, but that isn’t
representative. He is a very solid glove and can play (and has played) three
infield positions. He progressed each season at SDSU, and I would suspect that
with his patient approach at the plate, he will be able to adjust to new levels
in the minor leagues as well.
2009 Projection: Should play regularly around the infield at Ft. Myers
Potential: left side of the infield, utility type
Could be in Minnesota in: 2012
#47 – Steve Hirschfeld – OF – 23 (9/8/85)
2009 Teams: Ft. Myers Miracle
Acquired: Twins 9th round pick in 2007 out of San Diego State
Hirschfeld has been
a reliever at Ft. Myers much of this season. 13 of his 14 appearances have come
out of the bullpen. But he is on this list because I believe, and he showed
last year, that he could also start. That, and his numbers to this point of the
season are very good. He is 1-1 with a 1.07 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP. Opponents are
hitting just .146 against him. Now, I don’t think those numbers are
maintainable, particularly if he does start. But he has shown enough, and is
still young enough, to think that he could progress through the system a step
at a time.
2009 Projection: Bullpen in Ft. Myers, but by midseason could again be starting
Potential: Long Reliever
Could be in Minnesota in: 2012
#46 – Tom Stuifbergen – RHP – 20 (9/26/88)
2009 Teams: Extended Spring Training
Acquired: Signed with Twins in August, 2006, out of The Netherlands
How does a guy who hasn’t been on a Top 50 Twins prospect list
previously, who hasn’t played above the Gulf Coast League, and who missed the
entire 2008 season because of shoulder surgery get on the list this time? How
about four shutout innings in the WBC for The Netherlands against the vaunted Dominican
Republic lineup? That will get people a little excited! Stuifbergen
pitched under Bert Blyleven for the most talked about team in the WBC, and he
showed a lot. Many thought that, because of that game, he should be at Beloit,
or even Ft. Myers. But common sense has to step in an remind us that he is just
20 years old, he did just miss all of the 2008 season, because of shoulder
problems. It is wise with a young pitcher this talented to be patient (See
Guerra, Deolis). It will be interesting to see what Stuifbergen does for Elizabethton, whether he is used as a
starter or a reliever.
2009 Projection: Start or Relief at Elizabethton
Potential: #3 starter
Could be in Minnesota in: 2014
#45 – Erik Lis – DH – 24 (3/8/85)
2008 Team: New Britain Rockcats
Acquired: Twins 9th round pick in 2005 out of U. of Evansville
Lis dropped down this list a bit this time around. I thought he
showed enough with the bat in 2008 that he was ready for a promotion to AAA.
The logjam of infielders there kept him in AA again, and although he is hitting
well (.283/.364/.393), he isn’t getting all of the extra base hits that kept
him higher on this list. In 2007 at New Britain, he hit .277/.318/.462. He was
an extra base hit machine. He had 36 doubles and 11 homers on the season. He
has just seven doubles nearly two months into this season and just three home
runs. Of course, it has to be mentioned that he is really without a position.
He was drafted as a 1B, and has split time between there and LF the last couple
of years, but his best defensive position appears to be DH. So, opportunities
with the Twins may be limited.
2009 Projection: he can hit in Rochester, but could start season in New Britain
Potential: big league bat, could DH
Could be in Minnesota in: 2010
#44 – Jay Rainville – RHP – 23 (10/16/85)
2008 Team: New Britain Rockcats
Acquired: Twins 2nd round pick
in 2004 out of Bishop Hendrickson H.S. in Rhode Island
As you know, Rainville missed the entire
2006 season after surgery on a nerve in his right shoulder. He came back in
2007 and stayed healthy and pitched well, posting a 3.29 ERA in 142.1 innings.
2008 was not great, but again, he moved a step forward and stayed healthy. This
was a big year for Rainville. We knew he would head
back to New Britain and start. Although he is 1-2 with a 4.79 ERA (which is
about a full run below last year), it is alarming that his walk rate is up so
far while his strikeout rate (which was already very low) has decreased. It
will be a big 2nd half of the season for Rainville.
He is known as a very hard worker and quite competitive, so hopefully he can
make some of the adjustments needed and have a strong remainder to the year.
2009 Projection: starting in New Britain
Potential: #5 starter
Could be in Minnesota in: 2011
#43 – Brad Tippett – RHP – 21 (2/11/88)
2009 Teams: Beloit Snappers
Acquired: Signed by Twins in January, 2006, out of Australia
When thinking about the Beloit rotation this season, names like
Shooter Hunt, Bobby Lanigan and Dan Osterbrok were known. Brad Tippett
has, as he has throughout his brief career, quietly been the team’s top
starting pitcher and it really isn’t close. Tippett
is still working to add velocity to a fastball that sits in the mid-80s now.
But impeccable control and pitch movement have allowed him to start this season
with a 5-1 record and a 2.79 ERA. Despite the lack of velocity, he still has
accumulated 37 strikeouts in 48.1 innings this year, which is respectable,
especially when you consider that he has issued just eight walks. While starting
for Elizabethton last year, he went 8-3 with a 2.55 ERA. He walked nine and struckout 63 over 74 innings. The season before, he was the
best reliever in the Appalachian League when he went 7-1 with three saves, a
0.93 ERA and 51 strikeouts (to just four walks) in 37.1 innings.
2009 Projection: Starting for the Snappers all season
Potential: #4-5 starter
Could be in Minnesota in: 2013
#42 – Alex Burnett – RHP – 21 (7/26/87)
2008 Team: Ft. Myers Miracle
Acquired: Twins 12th round pick in 2005 from Huntington Beach, CA
Burnett
is a guy that not long ago was in my Top 10 Twins prospects. He was drafted
young, and always his team’s best starting pitcher despite being very young. In
the GCL, Elizabethton, Beloit and Ft. Myers, he was known as a bulldog and the
guy that teammates wanted to pitch Game 1’s of playoff series. Last year with
the Miracle, Burnett went 8-6 with a 3.86 ERA. He struck out just over five per
nine innings and had very good control. I was a little surprised to see that he
would repeat at Ft. Myers this year. I was shocked to see that he would be
pitching out of the bullpen. Even more surprising, he has 25 strikeouts in 22.1
innings so far this season. I have been told that his stuff and makeup may play
better out of the bullpen. If strikeouts are any indicator (and they certainly
can be), that decision is right. That means that he drops on my prospect list,
but it may mean that he has a better opportunity to eventually pitch for the Minnesota
Twins.
2009 Projection: probably in the Miracle bullpen
Potential: potential to be a #4-5 starter, but maybe more impact out of bullpen
Could be in Minnesota in: 2013
#41 – Jonathan Waltenbury – 1B – 21 (4/1/88)
2009 Teams: Elizabethton Twins
Acquired: Twins 7th round pick in 2006 out of Ontario H.S.
At Elizabethton in 2008, Waltenbury hit
.319/.382/.540 with 22 doubles, three triples and ten home runs. At 6-4 and 230
pounds, the Canadian first baseman appears to have a chance to be a very good
hitter. In his first full-season stint, this spring with Beloit, it hasn’t been
easy for Waltenbury. On the season, he is hitting
.260/.315/.367 with seven doubles and three home runs. His April OPS was just
.613. In May, that number increased to .713. I would expect that his bat will
continue to heat up for the Snappers as the season wears on. In an interview
last night, he said that he still has a long ways to go at 1B with the glove,
but that he and the coaching staff are working very hard to improve. I think that
Waltenbury could be one of those guys that continues
to move up one step a year and hopefully in two years, he will be far up this
list.
2009 Projection: 1B for Beloit all season.
Potential: Maybe not middle of the lineup, but he could hit in the 5-7 range
Could
be in Minnesota in:
2012
#40 – Alexander Soto – C – 22 (11/8/86)
2009 Teams: Beloit Snappers
Acquired: Signed with Twins in February, 2005, out of Dominican Republic
Soto burst on the prospect scene last year at Elizabethton when he
hit five home runs in his first 21 at bats. He had nine home runs in his first
70 at bats. He ended up with ten doubles and ten home runs in just 116 at bats.
Of course, he added 40 strikeouts to his numbers as well, something that could
be a concern. Defensively, he is known to be very good behind the plate,
framing pitches, calling a game. He has a very strong arm and pitchers really
like to throw to him. Offensively, he is hitting just .260/.318/.346, but he
does have four doubles and five home runs in just 96 at bats. He has 23
strikeouts in 106 plate appearances, which does show an improvement.
2009 Projection: Primary catcher at Beloit
Potential: Backup catcher
Could be in Minnesota in: 2013
#39 – Brian Duensing – LHP – 26 (2/22/83)
2009 Teams: Rochester Red Wings, Team USA in Olympics
Acquired: Twins 3rd round draft pick in 2005 out U of Nebraska
Duensing began this season in the Twins bullpen. He
pitched three innings on one game and gave up two runs. That is likely his
future role with the Twins, or another organization. He was sent back to
Rochester where he was asked to start again. In April, he was 1-1 with a 7.88
ERA (in two starts). In May, he went 2-2 with a 3.25 ERA (over six starts). As
important, lefties are hitting just .217 against him while righties hit him at
a .346 clip. The bullpen may be his future in the big leagues, but if Twins
starters continue to struggle, his May may put him
back into consideration for a shot at starting.
2009 Projection: starting in Rochester most of the season, possible 6th or 7th starter for the Twins if needed.
Potential: solid #4-5 pitcher
Could be in Minnesota in: 2009
#38 – Juan Portes – IF/OF – 23 (11/26/85)
2009 Teams: Ft. Myers Miracle
Acquired: Twins 15th round pick in 2004 out of Malden, Mass., HS
Known as a hitter when the Twins drafted him, he put up very good
numbers in 2004 and 2005 and GCL and E-Town, respectively. In 2006, he moved up
to Beloit and struggled and got hurt. He stayed healthy in 2007 and 2008, but
he didn’t hit very much at all at Ft. Myers both years. 2009 is a big year for Portes, and he has been impressive to this point at New
Britain. He has hit .313/.376/.469 in 32 games. He has struck out just 14 times
in 110 plate appearances. Although he still does not have a regular position,
he has filled in adequately for Danny Valencia at 3B a few times and done a
nice job around the Rockcats outfield as well. It
will be interesting to see how he does the rest of this season and if his
playing time continues to increase. The Rockcats
lineup is quite impressive and Portes has been an
important part of that.
2009
Projection:
playing all over for the New Britain Rockcats
Potential: potential solid bat
Could be in Minnesota in: 2012
#37 – Steve Singleton – 2B – 23 (9/12/85)
2009 Teams: Beloit Snappers, Ft. Myers Miracle
Acquired: Twins 11th round pick in 2006 out of U. of San Diego
I
personally thought that Singleton was ready for AA after a strong showing in
Ft. Myers the second half of last season. But as typical, the Twins sent him
back to Ft. Myers for another half season of seasoning. To this point in the
season, the hits are not falling in (despite several reports that he is hitting
the ball hard most of the time). He is hitting .236/.313/.356 with eight
doubles, five triples and a home run. He has 17 walks and 18 strikeouts, so he
continues to do a good job at that. I still anticipate Singleton moving up to
New Britain after the Miracle clinch the first half title. He plays strong
defense and takes very good at bats.
2009 Projection: Ft. Myers infield, but could move up to New Britain in second half
Potential: utility infielder with bat and glove to be regular 2B
Could be in Minnesota in: 2011
#36 – Tyler Ladendorf – SS/3B – 21 (3/7/88)
2009 Teams: Extended Spring Training
Acquired: Twins 2nd round pick in 2008 out of Howard College
People may not agree with this ranking for Ladendorf.
He was the Twins 2nd round pick last year out of Howard. He had
signed to play baseball at Oklahoma State before he signed with the Twins. Last
year with the GCL Twins, Ladendorf really struggled
with his adjustment to pro ball. He hit just .204/.308/.293 (.601) in 45 GCL
games. I’m sure he was disappointed. But prospect lists are about upside and potential,
and when it comes to those things, Ladendorf should
rank very high on the list. Although at a junior college, his numbers in 2008
at Howard were impressive. He not only showed power with 16 home runs, but
great speed with 65 stolen bases. He has the ability to play SS and may end up
with enough power to play 3B. He has a long ways to go, no question. And even
though 2009 will be his first full season of pro baseball, it will be a big one
in determining whether he jumps up this list, or falls off of it.
2009 Projection: left side of the infield with E-Town, putting up numbers we thought we would see last year.
Potential: big league starting infielder
Could be in Minnesota in: 2012
So there you have it, my
selections for Twins prospects 36-50. Be sure to check back tomorrow for my
choices for #21-35, and again, later in the week, you will also get my Top 20. If
you have any feedback, comments, opinions or suggestions, please feel free to Send me an e-mail, or leave
your questions or comments here.